I 


DC- 


University  of  California  •  Berkeley 


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j 


I    NKVKK    MISS    MV    AlM.       Page    304. 


ABYEHTTOES. 


THE    OCEAN  LIFE    SERIES. 


SLAYER'S  ADVENTURES 


Br  W.  H.  THOMES, 


AUTHOR    OF    "  THE     GOLD-HUNTERS'    ADVENTURES    IN    AUSTRALIA," 

"  THE  BUSHRANGERS,"  "  THE   GOLD-HUNTERS  IN  EUROPE," 

"  A    WHALEMAN'S    ADVENTURES,"    "  LIFE    IN 

THE  EAST  INDIES,"  ETC.,  ETC. 


BOSTON: 
LEE    AND    SHEPARD,    PUBLISHERS. 

NEW  YORK: 
LEE,  SHEPARD  AND  DILLINGHAM. 

1872. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1872, 

BY  LEE  AND  SHEPARD, 
In  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington. 


Stereotyped  at  the  Boston  Stereotype  Foundry, 
No.  19  Spring  Lane. 


BOOKS  BY  THE  SAME  AUTHOR. 

THE    GOLD-HUNTERS'    ADVENTURES    IN    AUSTRALIA. 

THE    BUSHRANGERS;    or,   LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA. 

THE    GOLD-HUNTERS    IN    EUROPE;    or,  THE    DEAD    ALIVE. 

A    WHALEMAN'S    ADVENTURES    IN    THE    SANDWICH    ISLANDS 
AND    CALIFORNIA. 

A   SLAVER'S   ADVENTURES   ON    LAND   AND   SEA. 
LIFE    IN    THE    EAST    INDIES. 

All   Handsomely   Illustrated. 

LEE  &  SHEPARD,  PUBLISHERS,  BOSTON. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I.  PAGE 

Confessions  of  a  Slaver.  —  An  Incident  on  the  Ice.  —  Alice  Merton 
and  her  Danger.  —  She  is  saved,  and  is  grateful 9 

CHAPTER   II. 

How  I  shipped  in  a  Clipper,  and  was  deceived.  —  We  clear  for  some 
Port,  and  cheat  the  Custom-house  Officers.  —  Captain  Murphy.  .  15 

CHAPTER   III. 

A  Test  Case.  —  A  Sheep-stealer's  Death.  —  Monkeys  and  their  Ene- 
mies. —  A  novel  Battle.  —  King  George's  Town.  .  .  *-  .  33 

CHAPTER   IV. 

We  sail,  and  meet  an  old  Acquaintance.  — A  Stern  Chase.  —  A  Yarn. 
—  A  terrible  Proposition.  —  An  Escape.  .  ...  .  .52 

CHAPTER   V. 

The  Serpent  again.  —  An  Exchange  of  Civilities.  —  Havana  once 
more.  —  On  Shore.  —  A  dangerous  Flirtation,  and  what  came 
of  it.  .  .  .  .  -:; ;:  ,  ..  .  .  .  .  .  .64 

CHAPTER   VI. 

Garroting  Filibusters.  —  Death  of  Lopez.  —  Getting  ready  for  Sail- 
ing. —  A  Row,  and  what  came  of  it.  '.  .  V  .  >  .  95 

5 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER   VII. 

Early  Morning.  —  A  Duel  and  its  Results.  —  A  nice  Distinction.  — 
Off  to  Sea.  —  A  little  Harbor  Episode.       .        .        .        .        .        116 

CHAPTER    VIII. 

A  beautiful  Night.  —  A  Ship  on  Fire,  and  what  we  saved  from  her. 

—  A  Kival  to  Isadora,  and  what  she  thought  of  it.  ...    140 

CHAPTER    IX. 

A  jealous  sick  Woman. — Death  of  Isadora. — Consolation  prom- 
ised by  Gracia.  —  How  Men  forget.  — Murphy  and  his  Plans.  .  171 

CHAPTER    X. 

An  escaped  Slave  and  a  Chase.  —  A  Freeman.  — A  Speck  of  Mu- 
tiny. —  Off  for  Cuba,  &c.  .  .  ...  .  .  .  "  .  192 

CHAPTER    XI. 

News  of  the  Frigate.  —  A  new  Cause  for  Alarm.  —  Preparations 
for  an  Attack.  —  The  Mystery  explained.  —  Don  Christo.  .  .  216 

CHAPTER   XII.    ' 

A  Surprise.  — An  Attack,  and  what  came  of  it..  —  A  terrible  Strug- 
gle. —  An  important  Capture.  —  A  Proposition,  and  how  we  re- 
ceived it 236 

CHAPTER    XIII. 

Cuba  once  more.  —  A  narrow  Escape.  —  In  Port.  —  Our  Agents. 

—  Gracia's  Home  and  her  Father 251 

CHAPTER   XIV. 

Confounding    Liars.  —  Father  and  Daughter. — A  Happy  Reunion. 

—  Life  on  a  Cuban  Plantation 270 

CHAPTER   XV. 

In  Pursuit  of  a  runaway  Slave.  —  What  happened  to  us,  and  how 
we  met  with  several  Adventures  on  the  Way.  ....  295 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER    XVI. 

Settling  a  Voyage.  —  My  Share,  and  Plans  for  the  Future.  —  A 
Charter.  — A  cool  Reception.  —  A  Duenna.  —  A  Nap.  — An  Elope- 
ment  320 

CHAPTER    XVII. 

Up  with  the  Anchor.  —  More  Pursuit.  —  The  Steamer.  —  An  Ex- 
planation, and  what  came  of  it '  341 

CHAPTER    XVIII. 

We  return  to  Havana. — The  Arrest. —  Comfortable  Quarters. — 
Important  Questions.  —  How  it  ended 361 

CHAPTER   XIX. 

The  Yankee  Captains,  and  their  Interview  with  Concha. — A  Con- 
cession. —  A  Postponement.  —  A  Permit  to  leave.  —  On  Board 
the  Growler.  —  Postscript 381 


A  SLAYER'S  ADVENTURES 

OJST    SEA.    .A1STD    LA.TSTID 


CHAPTER   I. 

' 

CONFESSIONS     OF     A     SLAVER. AN     INCIDENT     ON     THE     ICE. 

ALICE     MERTON    AND    HER    DANGER. SHE     IS     SAVED,    AND    IS 

GRATEFUL. 

I  DO  not  know  what  prompts  me  to  write  of  my  past  life, 
unless  it  is  the  hope  of  deterring  others  from  pursuing  the  same 
guilty  career  that  I  followed  for  ten  long  years  ;  for  I  would  give 
all  my  gold  could  I  but  forget  the  terrible  events  connected  there- 
with. Nor  is  it  singular  that,  while  I  was  engaged  in  the  slave 
trade,  I  had  no  thought  excepting  the  desire  to  accumulate  gold ; 
that  I  enjoyed  pleasure,  could  drink,  eat,  and  make  love  with  the 
most  reckless  of  the  class  to  which  I  belonged. 
-I  am  a  lonely  man,  although  still  young  and  energetic.  I  dis- 
like company  ;  I  hate  to  have  men  talk  with  me,  for  I  suspect 
that  they  seek  to  worm  my  secrets  from  me.  But  if  I  refuse  to 
listen  to  the  troubles  of  men  and  women,  it  is  not  because  I  am 
heartless  and  unfeeling,  for  there  is  one  whom  I  could  hear  speak 
forever,  «,nd  not  tire  of  her  society.  She  is  a  blue-eyed  girl,  with 
dark-brown  hair,  and  as  innocent  of  worldly  feelings  and  preten- 
sion as  an  angel.  She  does  not  know  of  my  love,  and  probably 
will  never  suspect  it ;  for  how  can  I  speak  to  her  of  it,  and 
ask  her  to  mate  with  me,  steeped  as  I  have  been  in  crime? 
She  knows  not  the  cause  of  my  seclusion  ;  if  she  did,  she  would 
look  upon  me  with  horror,  and  avoid  me  in  future.  Her 
father  is  a  worldly-minded  man,  knows  of  my  wealth,  and  per- 
haps thinks  that  his  daughter  would  be  fortunate  in  securing  me 

9 


10  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

for  my  gold.  He  has  paid  so  much  attention  to  trade,  that  he 
has  forgotten  to  give  his  child's  heart  the  slightest  attention.  If 
he  had  studied  it  more,  he  would  have  found  that  not  one  particle 
of  selfishness  lurked  there,  and  that  when  she  loved,  it  would  be 
for  worth,  and  not  wealth.  She  has  a  mother,  a  pious  lady,  who 
believes  that  her  daughter  is  perfection  ;  and  in  that  point  we 
agree,  but  on  no  other ;  for  when  she  seeks  to  lead  me  to  better 
thoughts,  and  to  holy  aspirations,  I  am  mute  until  she  has  finished 
her  harangue,  and  left  me  in  peace.  Yet  I  sometimes  think  that 
Mrs.  Merton  has  a  high  regard  for  me,  and  would  even  be  will- 
ing to  trust  her  child's  happiness  through  life  to  my  care  ;  but  I 
dare  not  ask  the  sacrifice  ;  for  what  would  be  said,  if  one  of  my 
old  companions  should  make  his  appearance,  and  betray  me  to 
the  world  and  its  shame  ? 

The  family  of  the  Mertons  profess  to  be  grateful  to  me  for 
a  service  I  once  rendered  them.  I  will  relate  the  incident 
that  happened  by  which  I  became  acquainted  with  Alice,  and  let 
the  reader  judge  whether  I  love  her  as  a  lover  should  love  his 
mistress.  I  own  an  estate,  where  I  reside  summers  and  winters, 
that  adjoins  the  Mertons'.  It  is  situated  near  Boston,  and  by  a 
lake  shore,  where  thousands  congregate,  in  cold  weather,  to  enjoy 
the  pleasant  excitement  of  skating.  It  was  on  the  ice  that  I  first 
saw  Alice,  and  a  desire  to  see  more  of  her  induced  me  again  to 
become  proficient  in  an  art  that  I  excelled  when  a  boy. 

The  afternoon  on  which  the  incident  I  am  about  to  relate  oc- 
curred, was  unusually  warm  for  the  season,  and  many  living  on 
the  borders  of  the  lake  were  loud  in  their  cautions  to  avoid  the 
ice,  as  it  looked  as  though  weak  in  many  places.  I  cared  noth- 
ing for  the  warning  of  those  who  pretended  to  know  more  than 
myself.  I  regarded  their  advice  with  the  utmost  indifference, 
and  while  I  was  buckling  on  my  skates  I  was  overjoyed  to  see 
Alice  leave  her  residence,  as  though  desirous  of  an  afternoon's 
sport  upon  the  frozen  surface  of  the  lake.  But  I  felt  a  pang  of 
jealousy,  fierce  and  bitter  jealousy,  when  I  noticed  that  the  young 
man  in  whose  company  I  had  often  seen  her  followed  her  to 
the  lake,  and  buckled  on  her  skates  as  though  proud  of  the  privi- 
lege. I  saw  them  start  for  the  best  portion  of  the  ice,  and  I 
watched  her  graceful  figure  until  it  was  some  distance  from  me, 
and  then  started  in  pursuit.  I  passed  them  like  the  wind,  but 
was  immediately  recalled  to  the  spot,  where  I  had  left  Alice  and 


THROUGH    THE   ICE.  11 

her  companion,  by  hearing  a  cry  of  terror.  I  turned,  and  saw 
that  the  man  whom  I  so  much  envied  was  standing  motionless 
and  alone.  I  comprehended  all  at  a  glance.  The  ice  had  given 
way,  and  Alice  had  sunk  beneath  the  surface  of  the  water,  per- 
haps never  to  rise  again.  In  the  space  of  ten  seconds  I  was  close 
upon  the  spot  where  she  had  disappeared. 

"  She  has  gone  —  she  will  be  drowned  !  "  yelled  the  young  man, 
making  the  air  vocal  with  his  shouts  ;  but  he  did  not  offer  to  plunge 
in  and  rescue  the  lady. 

The  cries  were  taken  up  on  the  shore,  and  I  saw  that  the  spec- 
tators were  running  in  almost  all  directions,  as  though  distracted  at 
the  catastrophe.  I  kicked  off  my  skates,  threw  off  my  hat  and 
coat,  and  with  a  plunge  I  went  through  the  open  space  in  search 
of  death  or  a  valuable  life.  I  am  a  stout  and  bold  swimmer,  as 
all  who  follow  the  sea  should  be.  For  the  first  few  seconds  the 
water  was  so  cold  that  it  almost  deprived  me  of  motion  ;  but  I 
struggled  against  the  chill  which  I  felt  creeping  over  me,  and  dove 
down  until  I  reached  the  bottom  ;  but  still  I  did  not  obtain  sight 
of  Alice.  I  looked  upward,  and  could  see  the  light  through  the 
ice  which  had  broken  beneath  her  weight,  and  as  there  was  no 
tide  in  the  lake,  I  calculated  that  her  form  must  be  somewhere  in 
my  vicinity.  I  knew  that  I  could  remain  under  water  but  a 
few  seconds,  and  feared  that  if  I  rose  to  the  surface  without  the 
lady  I  was  in  search  of,  I  should  be  unable,  from  exhaus- 
tion, to  repeat  my  exploration.  I  strained  my  eyes  as  I  swam, 
to  discern  her,  and  was  just  about  to  rise  to  the  surface.;  when  my 
hand  struck  against  something,  and  the  next  instant  was  seized 
as  by  a  dea.th  grip,  and  an  attempt  made  to  drag  me  towards 
the  bottom.  With  a  few  energetic  strokes  of  my  feet  and  the  dis- 
engaged hand  I  resisted  the  attempt  to  draw  me  down  deeper, 
and  succeeded  in  making  my  way  towards  the  surface  ;  but  the 
struggles  of  my  burden  were  fearful,  and  I  was  compelled  to  hold 
it  at  arm's  length  for  the  purpose  of  keeping  one  hand  free.  At 
length  I  reached  the  broken  ice,  and  inhaled  a  breath  of  fresh  air  ; 
and  it  was  time  that  I  did,  for  my  head  had  begun  to  throb  as 
though  it  would  burst ;  but  still  I  recollect  hearing  some  one 
shout,  — 

"  Have  you  got  her  ?  " 

I  think  that  the  question  revived  me,  and  enabled  my  rash 
spirit  to  assert  its  sway,  for  I  knew  that  the  words  came  from  her 


12  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

companion.  I  grasped  the  edge  of  the  ice,  but  it  was  brittle  and 
gave  way.  Still  I  \vas  not  discouraged,  and  again  and  again  I 
essayed,  until  a  firm  hold  was  secured,  and  Alice's  pale  face  was 
raised  above  the  surface  of  the  water,  looking  as  though  death 
had  claimed  its  victim.  There  were  then  many  people  on  the  ice, 
for  the  accident  had  brought  near  us  many  sympathizers  ;  but 
none  of  them  dared  to  approach  us,  or  lend  assistance.  I  knew 
that  Alice's  life  depended  upon  her  speedy  rescue,  but  I 
saw  but  faint  prospects  of  such  a  deliverance  as  long  as  the 
crowd  remained  inactive.  I  could  not  raise  her  from  the  water 
without  help,  and  it  was  very  doubtful  if  I  could  even  have  saved 
myself  without  aid  from  those  who  stood  near. 

44  Can  we  do  anything  for  you?  "  some  one  shouted,  who  prob- 
ably wanted  to  speak  for  the  purpose  of  making  himself  con- 
spicuous. 

"  Get  ropes,  or  boards,  or  even  a  ladder,  and  lay  it  on  the  ice," 
I  replied.  "And  if  it  is  a  possible  thing,  I  wish  you  would  hurry, 
for  the  water  is  chilly,  and  I  fear  for  the  lady." 

44  O,  don't  let  her  drown  —  save  her  at  any  rate,  and  I'll  pay 
you  for  it,"  cried  the  weak-looking  young  man  whom  I  have  be- 
fore alluded  to,  and  whose  name  was  George  Evans. 

44  I've  got  a  ladder  at  home  !  "  one  shouted. 

"  And  I've  got  a  rope  that  I  think  would  be  strong  enough  !  " 
yelled  a  second. 

44  Then  away  with  you,  and  bring  them  !  "  I  cried  ;  and  the  men 
started,  after  one  long  look  at  me  and  my  burden. 

I  watched  the  men  as  they  hurried  off,  but  I  had  no  hope  that 
they  would  ever  return  in  time.  A  moment  later  I  heard  the 
crowd  cheer,  and  on  looking  up  I  saw  four  men  advancing  on  the 
ice  towards  me,  with  a  long  ladder,  which  they  had  taken  from 
an  engine-house  in  the  village,  on  the  first  alarm.  The  stout- 
hearted fellows  came  on  at  a  run  until  they  got  where  the  ice 
looked  treacherous,  when  they  placed  the  ladder  on  the  surface, 
and  slid  it  along  towards  me,  until  one  end  was  within  my  reagh. 

44  Keep  quiet  until  I  come,"  one  of  the  men  said ;  and  as  he 
spoke  he  started  for  me,  crawling  on  his  stomach,  so  that  his 
weight  should  be  distributed  over  the  largest  possible  surface,  for 
fear  of  another  fracture.  '4  Now,  then,  give  me  your  hand,  my 
friend,"  the  stranger  said,  "  and  I  will  pull  you  both  out  in  no 
time." 


ALICE    SAVED.  13 

"  Take  the  lady,  and  I  will  care  for  myself,"  I  replied.  "  Here, 
grasp  her  hands  firmly,  and  then  retreat  backward  as  fast  as 
possible." 

The  stranger  did  as  I  directed.  He  gradually  worked  his  way 
backward,  and  drew  the  inanimate  body  of  Alice  after  him,  until 
he  reached  a  spot  where  the  ice  was  strong,  when  he  grasped  her 
in  his  arms  and  ran  towards  the  shore,  followed  by  many  of  the 
spectators.  I  sought  to  raise  my  form  from  the  water,  but  I  was 
too  cold  and  numb  to  move  without  assistance.  I  should  have 
soon  let  go  my  hold  upon  the  ladder,  and  sunk  beneath  the  ice, 
had  not  the  same  man  who  carried  Alice  in  his  arms  returned  on 
a  run,  and  corne  to  my  assistance. 

"Why,  the  fools  would  let  you  freeze,  and  then  cut  you  into 
square  cakes,  and  sell  you  at  a  cent  a  pound  in  summer,  I  be- 
lieve," the  stranger  said,  crawling  towards  me. 

I  have  a  very  distinct  recollection  of  being  drawn  out  of  the 
water,  and  feeling  very  cold  when  the  air  touched  my  body ;  but 
nothing  else  do  I  remember  until  I  awoke  and  found  myself  ia 
bed,  and  a  physician  feeling  my  pulse. 

"  The  young  lady,"  I  asked  ;  "  is  she  doing  well?" 

"  Ah,  excuse  me  ;  very  unfortunately,  I  can't  answer  that  ques- 
tion. She  is  attended  by  a  practitioner  of  the  old  school.  Now 
just  open  your  mouth,  and  let  me  drop  in  a  number  six." 

"  My  friend,"  I  said,  arresting  his  hand  just  as  he  was  about 
to  drop  a  globule  in  my  mouth,  u  I  have  more  need  of  rest  than 
medicine.  All  that  I  now  desire-  to  learn  is  in  relation  to  the 
safety  of  the  lady.  As  soon  as  I  hear  I  shall  try  and  sleep,  and 
that  will  restore  nie  quicker  than  your  number  six." 

"  A  mistake  on  your  part,"  muttered  the  recommender  of 
globules ;  but  he  saw  that  it  was  useless  to  argue  with  me ;  so  a* 
servant  was  despatched  to  my  neighbor's  for  the  purpose  of  ascer- 
taining Alice's  condition. 

He  brought  me  word  that  Alice  had  retired,  and  was  likely  to 
recover,  and  that  Mr.  Merton  would  take  the  first  opportunity 
to  wait  upon  me,  and  thank  me  for  the  services  I  had  rendered 
his  child.  Then  my  perverse  nature  returned,  for  I  disliked  the 
thought  of  receiving  compliments  for  the  aid  I  had  rendered. 
I  gave  orders  that  no  one  was  to  see  me,  and  fell  asleep,  and 
dreamed  of  that  pale  face  which,  even  in  the  chill  water,  I  had 
so  much  admired.  My  sleep  was  troubled,  for  Alice's  face  dis- 


14  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

appeared,  and  in  its  place  arose  the  hideous  countenance  of  a  native 
of  Yorula,  of  Africa.  I  awoke  with  raging  fever  —  a  sickness  that 
kept  me  confined  to  my  bed  for  many  days  ;  and  when  I  arose  a 
note  was  placed  in  my  hands.  It  was  from  Alice,  who  had  en- 
tirely recovered  from  her  accident,  and  wrote  me  that  she  was 
grateful,  and  should  be  happy  to  thank  me  in  person,  in  company 
with  her  parents,  whenever  my  strength  would  permit  of  the  inter- 
view. She  had  sent  every  day  of  my  sickness  for  information  re- 
garding my  state.  Much  as  I  loved  her,  I  could  not  return 
an  answer  to  her  note.  Yet  I  kissed  the  lines  which  her  hand 
had  traced,  and  put  the  paper  where  I  could  feast  my  eyes  upon 
it  every  day.  No,  I  was  resolved  that  I  would  not  seek  her 
company.  Her  parents  might  thrust  their  friendship  upon  me, 
and  then  they  could  blame  none  but  themselves,  if  it  was  ever 
discovered  that  I  was  once  a  dealer  in  human  flesh,  and  thrived 
by  the  slave  traffic. 

Some  three  weeks  after  I  had  read  Alice's  note,  I  was  walking 
slowly  through  the  streets  of  the  village,  having  been  to  the  post- 
office  at  the  close  of  the  day,  when  I  accidentally  met  the  lady  in 
such  a  manner  that  to  escape  recognition  was  impossible.  I 
bowed,  and  was  about  to  pass  on  when  she  detained  me. 

. "  We  have  long  sought  for  an  opportunity  to  thank  you  for  your 
courage  in  saving  my  life,"  she  said,  in  a  low  tone  ;  "  but  you 
have  repelled  all  attempts  on  my  part,  and  that  of  my  parents.. 
Will  you  let  me  express  my  gratitude  now?" 

"  I  do  not  need  your  thanks  for  the  service  that  I  rendered. 
Many  'would  have  done  the  same  had  I  declined." 

"  That  is  somewhat  doubtful,"  she  said,  with  an  arch  smile ; 
"  for  Mr.  Evans  says  tfrat  he  was  so  astonished,  that  he  did  not 
think  that  it  was  necessary  he  should  dive  in  for  the  purpose  of 
getting  me  out.  Come,  let  us  shake  hands  and  be  friends,  as  we 
are  already  neighbors.  Are  you  willing,  Mr.  Ernest  Robert?" 

I  could  only  kiss  the  fair  hand  that  she  extended,  and  promise 
compliance.  From  that  time  until  the  present  we  have  been 
friends.  Dare  I  hope  for  more? 

Let  me  make  a  full  confession  of  my  past  life,  and  see  what 
the  result  will  be. 


A    HAKDSOME    CLIPPER.  15 


CHAPTER  II. 

HOW   I    SHIPPED    IN  A  CLIPPER   AND  WAS   DECEIVED. WE  CLEAR 

FOR   SOME   PORT   AND    CHEAT    THE    CUSTOM-HOUSE     OFFICERS. 

CAPTAIN    MURPHY. 

IN  the  year  18 —  I  had  just  returned  from  an  East  India  voyage 
as  second  mate  of  a  fast-sailing  clipper  ship.  Disliking  the  usual 
dissipation  which  sailors  indulge  in  on  shore,  I  always  made  it  a 
point  to  seek  quarters  far  away  from  seamen's  haunts  and  board- 
ing-houses ;  and  while  I  was  recruiting  from  the  fatigues  of  a 
passage  home,  I  applied  most  of  my  leisure  moments  to  making 
myself  familiar  with  all  the  branches  of  navigation,  and  a  thor- 
ough education.  My  success  was  commensurate  with  my  appli- 
cation, and  I  have  never  yet  had  occasion  to  regret  the  time 
which  I  spent  in  so  laudable  a  pursuit. 

The  Spanish  and  Portuguese  languages  I  was  partially  famil- 
iar with  ;  but  I  mastered  them  entirely  by  the  aid  of  books, 
and  they  were  of  invaluable  service  to  me  during  my  career  in 
the  African  trade. 

One  day  a  brother  mate  advised  me  to  take  a  stroll  to  India 
Wharf  some  time,  if  I  wished  to  see  the  most  perfect  specimen 
of  a  clipper  topsail  schooner  that  ever  floated.  His  enthusiasm 
excited  me,  and  the  next  afternoon  I  was  rewarded  by  a  view  of 
the  craft  that  had  so  challenged  my  friend's  admiration.  It  was 
a  vessel  of  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  tons,  with  a  bow  like  a 
steamboat's,  it  'was  so  sharp,  and  a  run  that  seemed  as  though  in- 
capable of  drawing  a  bucketful  of  dead  water  after  it  in  a  twenty- 
four  hours'  cruise.  The  bulwarks  were  high,  and  resembled  those 
of  a  brig  of  war,  rather  than  a  peaceful  trader  ;  while  the  masts 
were  raking  and  of  unusual  length,  for  the  purpose  of  giving  an 
immense  hoist  to  the  foresail  and  mainsail,  and,  when  before  the 
wind,  of  spreading  a  huge  square  sail.  I  surveyed  the  masts 
and  yards  with  a  critical  eye,  and  it  seemed  to  me  that  the 
schooner  must  be  crank ;  but  a  second  glance  at  the  beam  dis- 
pelled that  impression,  and  I  candidly  confessed  to  myself  that  if 
she  did  not  sail,  it  would  not  be  because  her  model  was  not  good, 
or  canvas  lacking. 


16  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

Stores  were  being  taken  on  board  in  a  rapid  manner,  as  though 
no  time  was  to  be  lost ;  and  while  I  stood  on  the  dock,  wondering 
what  so  many  water  casks  were  intended  for,  I  accidentally  over- 
heard a  conversation  between  parties  whom  I  supposed  to  be 
owner  and  captain;  and  the  sequel  showed  that  my  conjectures 
were  right. 

"  I  tell  you,  Murphy,  the  man  is  not  fit  for  the  voyage.  Get 
another  mate  ;  and  if  yon  can't  find  one  that  suits  you  here,  ship 
one  at  Havana  that  is  all  right,  and  knows  what  he's  about." 

The  advice  seemed  to  be  offered  by  the  owner  of  the  schooner, 
whom  I  heard  Captain  Murphy  call  Mr.  Bresley. 

"  You  don't  know  the  trouble  I've  had  in  making  that  man 
ship-shape,  or  you'd  not  advise  me  to  leave  him.  He  knows  the 
coast  and  has  been  in  the  trade,  and  if  he  would  only  let  alone 
splicing  the  main  brace,  I  would  not  ask  for  a  better  man  for  our 
business." 

"  Well,  well,  I  suppose  that  you've  set  your  heart  upon  him ; 
but  it's  impossible.  He's  got  a  touch  of  the  yellow  Jack,  and 
don't  know  the  main-boom  from  the  jib-boom,  or  a  doctor  from  a 
horse-marine.  He  will  probably  kick  the  bucket." 

"  When  will  Ruez  be  here?  "  the  captain  asked. 

u  I  expect  him  to-morrow  morning,  with  the  Portuguese  papers 
and  the  money  from  New  York,"  was  the  answer. 

"  Then  we  can  get  away  to-morrow,  if  I  can  find  a  mate  that 
suits  me,"  the  captain  remarked. 

"  Hang  your  mate  !  You  seem  to  think  that  the  schooner  can't 
move  without  an  officer,"  pettishly  exclaimed  the  owner. 

u  By  the  time  you  have  made  as  many  voyages  to  the  coast 
of  —  " 

At  this  moment  Mr.  Bresley  noticed  that  I  was  standing  very 
near  him  ;  so  he  poked  the  captain  in  his  ribs,  to  call  his  attention 
to  the  fact,  and  make  him  guard  his  speech.  I  had  no  suspicious 
then  that  the  vessel  was  not  intended  for  a  fair  and  regular  trader, 
but  afterwards  was  astonished  that  I  had  not  comprehended  the 
drift,  and  thus  refused  to  enter  my  name  upon  the  shipping 
articles. 

"  A  stout,  active-built  fellow,"  I  heard  Mr.  Bresley  say  in  a 
whisper. 

"  Looks  as  though  he  might  know  something  —  a  lubber  from 
a  sailor,"  grunted  the  captain. 


I'M   TEMPTED.  17 

"  How  do  you  know  but  he  might  suit  you?"  suggested  the 
owner. 

."  Can't  tell  till  I've  taken  a  survey  of  his  storage,  and  find  out 
how  his  upper  works  are,"  Captain  Murphy  remarked. 

"  Sheer  alongside,  then,  and  I'll  leave  you  to  talk  the  matter 
over.  If  he's  right,  engage  him,  and  don't  mind  a  dollar  extra 
per  month.  I  rather  like  his  face." 

With  this  parting  compliment  the  owner  started  up  the  wharf, 
and  the  captain  lighted  a  fresh  cigar,  and  drew  near  to  the  spot 
where  I  stood. 

"  A  pretty  craft,  hey  ?  "  suggested  the  captain. 

"  I  never  saw  one  that  suited  me  better,"  I  replied. 

"And  I  think  that  she  will  sail  some, hey ?"  remarked  the 
captain. 

"  Jam  her  on  the  wind,  and  if  she  don't  show  her  stern  to  every 
thing  that  she  meets,  I  shall  feel  that  looks  are  deceptive,"  I  re- 
plied. 

"  Them's  my  sentiments.  But  come  on  board  and  see  her  on 
deck  and  below.  She  is  like  a  country  lass,  and  will  bear  inspec- 
tion." 

I  accepted  the  invitation,  and  found  that  the  schooner  was 
built  in  the  most  thorough  manner,  and  that  her  cabin  was  a 
marvel  of  bird's-eye  maple,  gilt,  and  mahogany.  There  were 
four  large  state-rooms,  besides  the  mate  and  second  mate's  room, 
which  was  convenient,  but  not  very  handsome.  The  more  I  saw 
of  the  craft,  the  stronger  I  felt  that  I  should  like  to  swing  iny 
hammock  in  her. 

"  What  a  splendid  vessel  for  an  opium  clipper  ! "  I  said,  at  length. 

'*  Ha !  have  you  been  in  that  trade  ?  "  the  captain  asked. 

"  I  was  six  months  in  one,  and  made  more  money  during  that 
time  than  I  ever  made  in  a  two  years'  voyage,"  I  replied. 

"You  like  money,  then?"  the  captain  asked,  with  a  rapid 
glance  of  his  cold  gray  eyes. 

"  Yes  ;  not  for  the  sake  of  hoarding,  but  for  the  many  luxuries 
that  it  will  purchase  me,  the  position  that  I  could  gain,  and  the 
influence  that  I  should  have  with  it  to  back  me." 

"  You  are  right,  my  boy ;  a  man  may  have  the  larnin*  of 

Blunt's  Coast  Pilot,  yet,  unless  he  has  got  money,  he  might  as 

well  be  upon  an  island  in  the  Pacific.     A  loblolly  boy  will  pass 

for  a  navigator,  if  he  has  a  cargo  of  gold  in  his  pockets.     Money 

2 


18 

moves  the  world,  and  men's  hearts  ;  and  hang  me  if  I  don't  wish 
that  I  had  as  much  of  it  as  would  sink  one  of  Uncle  Sam's  seven- 
ty-fours. I'd  never  show  my  nose  on  salt  water  again.  I'm 
going  to  make  some  money,  or  I'll  sink  the  schooner  in  the  at- 
tempt." 

I  must  have  looked  a  little  surprised,  for  the  captain  added 
hastily,  — 

"  I  mean  that  I'm  going  to  work  in  a  square  manner  —  every- 
thing aboveboard,  and  no  concealment.  I  may  do  a  little  smug- 
gling, but  you  don't  care  about  that,  I  suppose." 

I  was  charmed  with  the  captain's  confidence,  and  had  no  hesi- 
tation in  saying  that  I  wouldn't  mind  doing  a  little  at  that  myself, 
if  the  chance  was  possible. 

"  Then  ship  with  ine,"  the  captain  cried,  bluntly.  "  My  mate 
has  got  a  touch  of  the  yellow  Jack,  and  won't  be  fit  for  duty  for 
many  days.  I  want  a  smart  man  to  keep  the  men  at  work,  and 
see  that  the  sails  are  well  trimmed.  If  you  have  sailed  as  second 
mate  you  will  do  for  my  turn  ;  and  if  you  don't  like,  we  can  part 
company  at  Havana." 

"  But  where  do  you  go  from  Havana?  "  I  asked. 

"  Well,  that  is  uncertain  at  the  present  time.  It  will  depend 
upon  the  state  of  the  weather." 

After  a  brief  thought  I  concluded  to  join  the  schooner.  I 
had  no  time  to  spend  idling.  I  agreed  to  have  my  traps  on 
board  before  sundown,  then  received  a  month's  advance  wages  in 
gold ;  not  that  I  needed  the  money,  but  because  I  wished  to 
leave  it  on  shore,  and  let  it  accumulate  during  my  absence.  I  had 
all  my  traps  on  board  of  the  Coquette  in  time,  and  found  that 
the  stores  were  stowed  away,  the  sails  were  bent,  the  crew  on 
board,  and,  to  my  surprise,  perfectly  sober ;  but  such  a  mixture 
of  all  nations  I  had  never  seen  before.  Italians,  Portuguese, 
Spaniards,  English,  and  three  Americans  constituted  the  pre- 
cious company  I  was  to  associate  with  for  a  few  months. 

That  night,  to  my  surprise,  Captain  Murphy  came  on  board 
about  eleven  o'clock,  as  I  thought,  about  half  seas  over ;  or,  in 
other  words,  he  had  been  paying  close  attention  to  his  grog 
rations.  He  woke  me  up,  and  ordered  the  schooner  hauled  into 
the  stream  and  anchored.  I  could  not  devise  the  meaning  of  such 
a  proceeding  ;  but  it  was  my  place  to  obey,  and  not  ask  questions. 
The  second  mate,  who  seemed  to  be  on  good  terms  with  the  cap- 


IN   THE    STREAM.  19 

tain,  roused  the  men  up ;  and  to  my  further  surprise,  not  one  of 
them  uttered  a  growl,  or  made  a  remark  at  being  disturbed.  They 
went  to  work  like  men,  and  without  making  the  least  noise  the 
schooner  was  kedged  to  the  stream  where  we  dropped  anchor,  set 
an  anchor  watch,  and  then  turned  in,  with  the  exception  of  the 
captain,  who  walked  the  deck  in  silence,  stopping  every  few 
minutes  to  peer  through  the  gloom,  as  though  anxiously  expect- 
ing the  appearance  of  a  boat  with  some  one  in  it  of  consequence. 

"  Go  turn  in,"  the  captain  said,  when  he  saw  that  I  was  dis- 
posed to  remain  on  deck  to  keep  him  company.  "  Turn  in.  I 
will  give  you  a  call  if  you  are  wanted." 

I  went  to  sleep,  and  the  next  morning  the  first  vessel  that  I 
saw  when  I  went  on  deck  was  the  revenue  cutter  Morris,  lying 
almost  within  half  a  cable's  length  of  us.  I  had  noticed  her  the 
day  before,  when  she  was  anchored  in  a  different  part  of  the 
harbor,  and  her  sudden  change  of  moorings  was  remarkable. 

"  The  officers  of  the  cutter  seem  pleased  with  our  craft,"  I  re- 
marked to  the  captain.  "  I  see  that  all  of  them  have  got  their 
glasses  directed  to  the  vessel,  as  though  admiring  her  proportions." 

"  Blast  them,"  muttered  the  captain,  in  an  undertone,  "  they 
are  too  lazy  to  do  anything  else  but  admire.  I  hope  that  they 
will  keep  their  distance,  and  not  throw  obstructions  in  the  way  of 
our  sailing." 

"  Why  should  they?"  I  asked.  "  If  we  have  a  regular  clear- 
ance from  the  custom-house,  the  cutter  won't  interfere." 

The  captain  made  no  reply,  but  walked  to  the  other  side  of  tlie 
deck,  and  gazed  anxiously  towards  the  shore,  as  though  desirous 
of  seeing  some  one  whom  he  had  long  expected.  Soon  after 
breakfast  I  was  somewhat  astonished  at  receiving  a  visit  from 
the  cutter,  in  the  shape  of  a  boat's  crew,  with  a  lieutenant  in 
command. 

"  I'm  sorry  to  trouble  you,"  the  officer  said,  as  he  reached  the 
deck,  "  but  we  have  received  orders  "to  delay  your  sailing  until 
your  probable  destination  is  more  clearly  defined.  There  is  some 
dissatisfaction  at  the  custom-house,  which  I  suppose  will  be 
cleared  up  in  a  day  or  two." 

Captain  Murphy  came  on  deck  while  the  lieutenant  was  speak- 
ing, and  heard  the  whole  of  the  officer's  conversation.  Instead 
of  looking  indignant,  as  I  supposed  he  would,  his  rough,  weather- 
beaten  face  was  wreathed  in  smiles.  And  while  I  am  speaking 


20  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

of  him  I  may  as  well  give  the  reader  a  description  of  a  man  who 
landed  more  slaves  upon  the  Island  of  Cuba  than  any  person  that 
was  ever  engaged  in  the  trade.  He  was  about  fifty  years  of  age, 
a  native  of  England  by  birth,  but  had  spent  most  of  his  life  under 
the  American  flag.  He  was  not  over  five  feet  six  inches,  but 
what  he  wanted  in  height  he  made  up  in  breadth  across  his  shoul- 
ders, which  were  perfectly  prodigious,  and  indicated  the  immense 
strength  that  he  really  possessed.  His  face  was  inclined  to  red- 
ness, perhaps  the  effects  of  French  brandy,  which  he  had  a  fondness 
for,  and  it  seemed  to  have  settled  in  his  nose  in  large  lumps,  like 
warts  upon  the  human  hands.  His  eyes  were  gray,  and  of  a  cold, 
glittering  kind,  not  good  to  look  upon  ;  and  when  their  owner  was 
in  a  passion  they  seemed  to  turn  black  and  flash  like  those  of  a 
snake.  His  hair  was  cropped  close  to  his  head,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  two  love  locks,  carefully  combed  just  front  of  his  ears,  and 
the  objects  of  his  especial  pride  and  tenderness.  His  legs  were 
like  two  huge  pedestals,  which,  through  the  fault  of  the  architect, 
or  some  convulsion  of  nature,  had  assumed  a  convex  form,  and 
appeared  as  though  likely  to  break  off  at  any  moment.  His  feet 
were  as  broad  as  they  were  long,  and  the  sailors  used  to  say  that 
he  had  followed  the  sea  so  many  years  that  he  had  become  web- 
footed,  like  a  duck ;  and  when  he  walked  the  schooner's  deck,  his 
gait  was  not  unlike  that  clumsy  fowl.  His  voice  was  gruff,  ex- 
cepting when  he  desired  to  appear  amiable,  and  then  it  was  as 
soft  as  a  woman's. 

"  You've  come  on  board  to  admire  my  schooner  ?  "  the  captain 
said,  as  though  he  did  not  divine  the  object  of  the  officer's  visit. 
"  Examine  her  well,  and  then  tell  me  if  she  won't  make  a  good 
fruiter." 

"  She'd  make  a  better  slaver,"  replied  the  officer,  carelessly, 
with  a  quick  glance  at  Captain  Murphy's  face. 

"  Now,  God  forbid  that  craft  of  mine  should  ever  be  engaged 
in  such  business,"  was  the  pious  exclamation  of  the  captain.  "  I 
would  sooner  that  she  should  sink  in  fathomless  depths  of  the 
ocean  than  carry  a  negro  to  slavery." 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  you  speak  so,  for  there  are  rumors  that 
the  schooner  was  built  and  fitted  for  the  African  trade.  Last 
night  we  had  orders  to  watch  you,  and  not  let  you  sail  without  a 
clearance.  '  My  duty  is  a  disagreeable  one,  but  I  must  perform  it." 

"  And  I  am  the  last  man  in  the  world  that  will  blame  you 


AN  OPPORTUNE  GLASS  OF  WINE.  21 

for  that,"  was  the  hearty  answer  of  Captain  Murphy.  "  Here  we 
are,  and  here. we  lie  until  all  suspicion  is  removed,  even  if  the 
schooner  grounds  upon  the  beef  bones  that  we  throw  over  the 
side." 

"  Then  you  have  no  objection  to  my  overhauling  your  cargo?" 
the  officer  asked,  charmed  with  the  captain's  frankness. 

"  None  in  the  world.  Set  your  men  at  work,  if  you  please. 
You'll  find  nothing  but  lumber  and  cask  shocks,  which  we  are 
taking  as  freight  to  Havana.  But  first  come  into  the  cabin  and 
take  a  glass  of  wine  with  me,  and  then  to  business." 

The  invitation  was  accepted ;  but  when  the  cutter's  officer  next 
made  his  appearance,  his  face  showed  that  the  wine  had  mounted 
to  his  head  and  confused  his  senses. 

"  Remember,  captain,"  he  said,  as  he  tumbled  over  the  side 
into  the  boat,  "  that  you  must  not  start  until  you  get  orders." 

"  Of  course  not  —  that  is  understood  by  us,"  was  the  re'ply ; 
and  then,  as  the  boat  was  pushed  off,  Captain  Murphy  muttered, 
"  If  the  wind  is  fair  and  the  night  dark,  you'll  miss  me  by  morn- 
ing." 

In  the  course  of  the  forenoon  a  boat  came  alongside  with  the 
long-expected  supercargo,  Guy  Ruez,  a  Portuguese  of  the  most 
grotesque  appearance.  lie  was  thin,  bilious,  and  looked  to  be  at 
least  sixty  years  of  age  ;  but  he  was  only  forty.  He  had  been 
engaged  in  the  slave  trade  all  of  his  lifetime,  and  knew  every 
port  and  every  trick  that  was  played  upon  the  coast  of  Africa. 
He  was  not  a  bold  man  by  any  means,  but  he  was  cunning, 
and  depended  upon  his  friend  Captain  Murphy  to  do  the 
fighting  in  case  his  loud  talk  should  produce  a  collision,  as  it 
sometimes  did;  for  if  Guy  Ruez  was. not  courageous,  he  had  a 
spiteful  tongue. 

The  supercargo  brought  with  him  three  bags,  which,  by  the 
weight,  I  knew  contained  gold. 

"  You  see,"  says  Guy,  opening  one  of  the  bags,  and  exhibiting 
a  handful  of  doubloons,  "  if  the  cutter  takes  us  in  charge,  her 
officers  will  make  considerable  prize  money,  perhaps.  How  the 
lazy  rascals  would  flutter  if  they  could  only  get  a  glimpse  of  these 
yellow  boys  !  But  they  never  will.  Not  a  dojlar  of  this  money 
will  they  ever  see,  for  I  know  how  to  prevent  it." 

"May  I  ask  how?"  I  said. 

"  You  are  a  new  man  in  the  service,  and  I  don't  know  whether 


22  A.  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

you  are  to  be  trusted,"  he  replied,  with  a  grin  that  showed  his 
yellow  fangs  to  the  greatest  disadvantage. 

"  As  you  please,"  I  answered,  and  was  turning  away,  when  he 
stopped  me. 

"  Here  !  I  know  you  ain't  a  rascal,  like  some  of  the  Yankees. 
I  will  show  you,  because  I  may  need  your  services." 

He  hastily  untied  the  bags,  and  pulled  from  each  a  fine  white 
silk  line,  with  a  cork  secured  at  one  end,  while  the  other  was 
fastened  to  the  bags. 

"  Do  you  understand,"  he  said.  "  I  throw  the  bags  overboard 
and  they  sink,  but  the  corks  no  sink.  They  float,  and  no  one 
take  notice.  No  one  see  the  lines,  'cos  they  same  color  as  the 
water.  By  and  by,  after  cutter  gone,  come  off  in  boat,  and  get 
the  money.  Very  good,  hey  ?  " 

We  did  not  receive  another  visit  from  the  people  of  the  cutter 
until  sundown,  and  then  it  was  to  inform  us  that  orders  had  been 
received  from  the  shore  not  to  permit  our  sailing  during  the  night, 
as  matters  were  not  yet  clear  at  the  custom-house ;  and  a  hint 
was  added,  that  perhaps  we  should  have  to  submit  to  an  over- 
hauling at  the  dock,  for  the  purpose  of  scrutinizing  our  cargo. 
But  no  sooner  had  the  boat  pushed  off,  than  Captain  Murphy 
called  me  to  him. 

"  We  shall  leave  the  harbor  to-night  at  any  rate.  We  must 
steal  past  the  cutter,  and  be  outside  of  Cape  Cod  by  daylight." 

"  With  all  my  heart,"  I  replied ;  u  but  how  are  we  to  escape 
the  eyes  of  the  cutter  people  ?  " 

"  That  I  will  show  you  by  and  by.  Get  everything  ready  for 
sea,  and  have  a  kedge  on  deck  with  fifty  fathoms  of  line.  When 
the  time  arrives  for  work,  I  will  give*  the  orders." 

I  waited  patiently  till  about  six  bells,  when  the  flood  tide  made, 
and  the  two  vessels  were  separated,  so  that  it  was  difficult  to 
discern  the  cutter  through  the  gloom.  The  wind  was  north'rd 
and  west'rd,  which  was  just  the  breeze  to  take  us  out  of  the  har- 
bor if  we  could  start  without  an  alarm ;  and  if  we  once  got 
sail  on,  I  had  no  doubt  that,  in  defiance  of  the  cutter,  we  should 
make  our  escape,  for  the  Morris  was  a  slow  tub. 

"  Now  lower  a  boat,  and  run  a  kedge  out  to  the  north'rd  as  far 
as  the  line  will  go,"  was  the  first  order  that  1  received  from 
the  captain. 

The  boat  was  dropped  into  the  water  without  the  slightest 


WE    SLIP    PAST    THE    CUTTER.  23 

noise,  and  pulled  in  the  direction  indicated.  As  soon  as  this  was 
done,  we  slipped  the  cable  by  which  we  were  riding,  and  hauled 
in  on  the  line,  and  in  an  imperceptible  manner  gradually  in- 
creased our  distance  from  the  cutter.  Twice  we  sent  the  boat 
out,  and  at  length  found  ourselves  close  upon  the  East  Boston  side, 
and  nearly  half  a  mile  distant  from  our  sleepy  but  suspicious 
friend. 

"  Up  with  the  kedge,  and  cast  the  gaskets  from  the  sails,"  cried 
Captain  Murphy,  when  he  saw  that  no  notice  was  taken  of  our 
movements. 

The  men  sprang  to  obey  his  orders,  yet  without  the  least  noise 
or  confusion.  The  jib,  foresail,  and  mainsail  were  set,  and  with 
a  fair  and  stiff  breeze  we  steered  for  the  outer  harbor.  The 
schooner  was  kept  well  over  on  the  East  Boston  side,  even  hug* 
ging  the  flats  so  closely  that  we  could  have  jumped  ashore  with 
dry  feet  had  we  desired,  until  we  were  abeam  of  the  cutter,  when 
we  could  just  see  her,  with  a  light  set  at  the  stern,  and  one  at  the 
bow.  There  was  no  movement  on  board,  and  if  we  could  gain 
two  more  cable  lengths,  we  should  be  safe  from  pursuit ;  for  I  had 
no  doubt  we  could  sail  two  feet  to  the  cutter's  one.  Still  it  was 
a  trying  moment,  and  not  until  we  gradually  left  the  cutter  far 
astern,  did  we  breathe  as  though  our  escape  was  certain. 

"  Now,  then,  pile  on  the  canvas,  Mr.  Robert,"  the  captain  said, 
as  he  and  the  Portuguese  opened  a  bottle  of  wine,  and  drank  suc- 
cess to  the  Coquette. 

u  We  have  no  pilot  on  board,"  I  said,  fearing  that  he  would 
run  the  schooner  on  shore  in  his  recklessness. 

"  I'm  the  pilot,  and  a  good  one,  too,  as  you  shall  confess  before 
daylight.  Steward,  bring  me  a  glass  of  grog  and  some  cigars, 
forward,  and  don't  let  there  be  a  sound  on  deck  except  my  orders 
to  the  man  at  the  wheel.  Mr.  Robert,  attend  to  the  sails,  and 
I'll  keep  the  Coquette  in  deep  water.  Ha!  what  was  that?" 

We  were  just  off  Fort  Independence  when  he  spoke. 

u  It's  a  rocket  from  the  cutter.  They  have  discovered  our 
escape,  and  want  to  see  in  what  direction  we  have  gone,"  I 
replied. 

u  Yes ;  and  there  goes  a  blue  light.  Burn  your  fireworks  if 
you  want  to.  It's  little  use  at  this  late  hour,  I  can  tell  you." 

The  cutter  continued  to  throw  up  rockets  for  half  an  hour.  By 
that  time  we  were  outside  of  Boston  lower  light,  and  dashing 


24  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

through  the  water  at  the  rate  of  ten  miles  per  hour,  with  every 
sail  set,  and  a  stiff  breeze  blowing  on  our  quarter. 

"  Set  the  watches,  and  keep  her  as  she  goes  until  four  o'clock," 
the  captain  said  to  me.  "  Call  me  at  three,  unless  some  change 
takes  place.  Keep  a  bright  lookout,  and  don't  carry  sail  too  long, 
for  the  rigging  is  new  and  stretches." 

And  with  these  comprehensive  orders  the  captain  edged  his 
way  into  the  cabin,  and  turned  in.  His  shoulders  were  too  broad 
for  him  to  enter  in  a  square  manner,  or  else  the  door  was  too 
narrow.  At  daylight  nothing  was  to  be  seen. 

Nothing  occurred  on  our  passage  to  Havana  that  was  worthy 
of  note.  The  true  character  of  the  vessel  was  not  made  known 
to  me,  although  frequently  the  supercargo  and  captain  spoke  of 
the  money  that  was  to  be  made  in  the  slave  trade,  and  how  much 
they  would  like  to  engage  in  it.  I  must  confess  that  at  length  I 
did  not  feel  that  repugnance  to  the  business  which  I  had  first 
experienced,  and  that  I  was  not  shocked  by  the  yarns  which  the 
captain  and  supercargo  spun  regarding  their  adventures.  They 
told  of  ivory  tushes  of  the  elephant  and  palm  oil  that  could 
be  bought  for  a  song,  and  then  incidentally  alluded  to  the  ship- 
ment of  a  few  negroes  for  the  purpose  of  completing  a  cargo,  and 
the  amount  of  money  they  would  bring  in  Cuba. 

"What  say  you?"  the  captain  remarked,  one  afternoon, 
the  day  before  we  entered  Havana.  "  Shall  we  make  a  trip 
to  Africa  in  case  we  find  business  dull  at  the  island,  and  try 
our  luck  ?  Will  you  join  us,  and  share  in  every  nigger  that  we 
land?" 

I  shook  my  head,  feebly  I  must  confess,  but  still  I  refused. 

"  As  you  please,"  the  captain  remarked.  "  We  can  find  some 
one  not  quite  so  scrupulous  as  you.  What  you  lose  we  shall  gain  ; 
that  is  certain.  There's  money  to  be  made  in  the  business." 

The  next  day  we  made  the  island,  and  passed  Moro  Castle 
without  the  customary  challenge,  which  I  supposed  was  an  over- 
sight on  the  part  of  those  at  the  fort ;  but  I  was  afterwards  in- 
formed that  the  officers  of  the  fort  never  molested  a  vessel  that 
was  suspected  of  being  engaged  in  the  slave  trade,  and  for  their 
consideration  received  a  certain  amount  of  money  that  was  very 
acceptable. 

Three  days  after  we  anchored  we  were  boarded  by  a  boat  from 
the  British  man-of-war  Serpent,  which  was  laying  "  off  and  on  " 


H.  B.  M.  SLOOP   SERPENT.  25 

outside.  The  officer  pretended  that  a  glass  of  .water  was  desired, 
but  I  saw  by  his  keen  glances  his  visit  was  not  one  for  refresh- 
ment, but  curiosity.  He  scanned  the  deck  and  masts,  and  hoists 
of  the  sails,  with  critical  eyes,  and  for  the  purpose  of  prolonging 
his  visit,  politely  asked  for  a  second  glass  of  water. 

"  There  is  no  occasion  for  your  flooding  your  insides  with  tepid 
water,**  I  said,  somewhat  amused  at  his  excuse.  "  The  sailing 
qualities  of  the  schooner  are  probably  of  more  importance  just 
now  than  a  glass  of  water.  If  you  are  pleased  with  the  looks  of 
the  Coquette,  or  wish  to  examine  her  at  your  leisure,  you  are 
welcome  to  do  so." 

"  I  see  that  you  have  suspected  the  object  of  my  visit,"  he  an- 
swered, good-humoredly.  "  We  heard  of  you  outside,  and  I  was 
sent  in  to  see  if  report  did  not  exaggerate  your  good  looks.  But 
for  once  rumor  has  not  done  you  justice.  This  is  the  hand- 
somest specimen  of  marine  architecture  that  I  ever  saw,  and  how 
I  shall  regret  to  see  her  broken  up ! " 

u  I  hope  that  day  is  far  distant,"  I  replied. 

"  I  hope  so ;  but  if  she  is  intended  for  the  trade,  Her  Britan- 
nic Majesty's  sloop  Serpent  will  have  the  honor  of  making  a 
prize,  for  in  spite  of  your  model  we  can  outsail  you,  on  the  wind, 
or  off." 

"  She  is  not  intended  for  the  trade,"  J  replied,  in  all  serious- 
ness ;  "  but  if  she  was,  the  keel  has  not  yet  been  laid  in  the  Brit- 
ish dockyards  that  can  sail  with  us  in  a  wholesale  breeze  on  the 
wind,  or  two  points  free." 

The  Englishman  laughed  as  though  he  did  not  believe  my 
boast. 

"  In  the  first  place,"  he  replied,  "  Captain  Murphy  never  com- 
manded anything  but  slavers ;  and  in  the  second  place,  when  he 
left  the  coast,  some  nine  months  since,  ha  boldly  boasted  in  my 
presence  that  he  should  return  with  a  clipper  that  would  trouble 
the  Serpent  on  every  point  of  sailing.  I  know  the  man  better 
than  you  ;  for,  if  I  am  not  mistaken,  you  have  yet  to  make  your 
first  voyage  to  the  coast  of  Africa.  But  we  shall  see  which  vessel 
sails  the  fastest ;  for  tell  Murphy  th'at  a  good  lookout  will  be 
kept  for  him,  and  that  he  has  been  too  lucky  all  his  life  not  to 
meet  with  reverses.  We  shall  pick  him  up,  for  our  fleet  is  large 
and  vigilant.  But  I  hope  our  luck  will  bring  us  in  contact  with 
the  schooner." 


26  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

That  night,  when  Captain  Murphy  and  Guy  Ruez  came  on 
board,  I  told  them  of  the  visit ;  at  which  information  both  looked 
somewhat  serious,  and  whispered  together  for  some  moments, 
and  the  result  of  the  conference  was  a  desire  ,to  see  me  in  the 
cabin. 

'*  Mr.  Robert,"  the  captain  said,  "  we  find  that  our  expecta- 
tions of  obtaining  a  cargo  are  knocked  flat  aback,  and  that  we 
have  got  to  fish  away  at  something  else  to  turn  an  honest  penny, 
and  make  a  living.  We  have  had  an  offer  to  make  a  trip  to 
Africa  for  ivory  and  niggers  ;  and  if  you  want  to  go,  jnst  say  the 
word  in  ship-shape  fashion,  and  we'll  count  you  in.  Is  it  a  bar- 
gain?" 

44  A  hundred  dollars  a  month,  and  ten  dollars  for  every  slave 
that  is  landed,"  chimed  in  the  Portuguese. 

I  was  on  the  point  of  refusing,  but  the  supercargo  unlocked  a 
trunk  and  threw  a  bag  of  doubloons  upon  the  table.  I  hesitated 
for  a  moment ;  but  the  Portuguese,  who  knew  what  was  passing 
in  my  heart  as  well  as  myself,  hastened  to  speak. 

4*  We  have  been  so  well  satisfied  with  your  conduct  that  we 
give  you  twelve  doubloons,  exclusive  of  your  wages.  You  see 
that  we  pay  well,  for  we  have  money  in  abundance.' 

44  But  if  we  are  captured?"  I  suggested. 

44  If  such  a  thing  Occurs,  we  can  buy  our  freedom  with  gold. 
Agents  will  be  near  us  in  case  anything  happens ;  and  I  need  not 
tell  you  that  Englishmen  "love  gold  as  well  as  Yankees." 

'*  But  if  we  should  be  captured  by  an  American  man-of-war  ?  " 
I  suggested. 

The  captain  and  Guy  looked  at  each  other  and  laughed. 

44  Did  you  ever  hear  of  such  a  thing,  Guy?"  the  former  de- 
manded. 

4fc  Never,"  answered  the  Portuguese,  "  and  never  expect  to." 

44  Will  the  crew  consent  to  go?  "  I  asked,  the  gold  tempting  me, 
and  my  abhorrence  of  the  traffic  gradually  giving  way. 

44  They  go?     Call  them  aft,  and  see." 

I  passed  the  word  for  the  crew  to  muster  aft. 

44  Well,  men,  who's  for  nigger-hunting?"  Captain  Murphy 
•asked. 

There  was  a  unanimous  shout  in  the  affirmative. 

44  Very  well.  Go  forward,  and  to-morrow  you  shall  have 
twenty-four  hours'  liberty  to  spend  your  advance  wages." 


OLD    CRINGY.  27 

And  the  men  went,  looking  as  contented  as  though  about  to  be 
discharged  with  several  hundred  dollars  in  their  lockers  for  a 
general  blow-out. 

"  Now  what  do  you  say?"  demanded  the  captain.  "Shall 
we  continue  to  swing  our  hammocks  in  the  same  craft,  or  shall 
we  square  yards  and  separate?" 

"  I  will  try  one  voyage,"  I  said,  "  and  if  I  don't  like  it,  we  can 
part  company,  and  no  harm  done." 

The  next  morning  the  Spanish  flag  fluttered  from  the  schooner's 
mast-head.  The  crew  were  allowed  to  go  on  shore,  and  I  took  a 
short  ramble  there  myself,  and  was  introduced  to  many  influen- 
tial men  who  were  largely  interested  in  the  slave  traffic. 

"  You  are  going  to  the  Gabun,  I  understand,"  one  old  man 
said  to  me.  "  If  such  is  the  case,  tell  old  Cringy  that  he  is  a  scoun- 
drel, and  that  his  last  cargo  was  the  meanest  that  I  ever  re- 
ceived." 

I  had  no  idea  who  Cringy  was,  but  I  promised  to  convey  the 
message  if  it  was  not  a  dangerous  one. 

The  next  day  we  were  all  on  board,  taking  in  fresh  provisions, 
and  the  day  after  weighed  anchor,  and  shaped  our  course  for 
the  River  Gabun,  on  the  west  coast  of  Africa. 

We  had  fair  winds  and  plenty  of  them,  and  the  Coquette 
bounded  over  the  waves  like  a  race-horse  over  a  trotting  course, 
until  we  made  one  of  the  spurs  of  the  Moon  range  of  mountains, 
when  we  hauled  our  wind  and  steered  for  Gabun,  at  that  time  one 
of  the  most  noted  slave  towns  on  the  coast  of  Southern  Africa. 
When  we  were  five  miles  from  the  mouth  of  the  river,  we  dis- 
covered a  canoe  coming  towards  us,  paddled  by  half  a  dozen 
negroes,  naked,  with  the  exception  of  a  piece  of  white  cloth  tie! 
around  their  waist.  But  the  person  who  steered  the  canoe  and 
was  seated  in  the  stern-sheets  was  dressed  entirely  different  from 
his  companions.  He  had  on  a  cocked  hat  with  a  huge  red  feather, 
a  blue  cloth  coat  with  bright  brass  buttons,  epaulets  of  the  largest 
size,  and  a  sword  by  his  side. 

"  Here  comes  Cringy  — \he  old  humpback  scoundrel  has  not 
yet  gone  to  Davy  Jones's  locker,"  Captain  Murphy  said,  examin- 
ing the  canoe  and  contents  through  his  glass.  "  He  is  dres&ed  in 
his  state  costume,  which  is  a  sure  sign  that  there  are  no  cruisers 
about.  Criogy  is  a  weather-cock,  and  by  his  rig  one  can  tell 
how  the  laud  lays." 


28  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

"  The  canoe  is  close  aboard  of  us.  Shall  we  heave  to,  and 
let  it  come  alongside  ?  " 

"  No,  indeed ;  that  is  a  piece  of  politeness  that  would  make  the 
blasted  niggers  have  too  good  an  opinion  of  themselves." 

The  negroes  were  excellent  boatmen,  and  although  we  were 
moving  at  the  rate  of  six  knots  an  hour,  the  canoe  glided  along- 
side without  the  slightest  difficulty ;  and  in  a  few  moments  over 
the  rail  came  the  most  singular  looking  specimen  of  humanity 
that  I  had  ever  seen.  He  was  an  old  negro,  humpbacked,  thin- 
and  all  drawn  out  of  shape,  apparently ;  the  upper  part  of  his 
body  was  dressed  in  uniform,  but  the  lower  part  was  entirely 
naked,  with  the  exception  of  the  usual  piece  of  white  cloth  around 
his  waist. 

"  Well,  Cringy,  I  am  glad  that  you  are  still  alive,"  Captain 
Murphy  said,  without  manifesting  the  least  cordiality. 

"  Ah,  cap'n,  I  glad  to  see  you.  You  no  be  here  'fore  for  one 
year.  I  s'pose  you  took  by  dem  Englishmen." 

"  Any  cruisers  around,  Cringy?"  the  captain  asked. 

"  One  here  yesterday  —  de  Buzzard  —  but  go  'way  for  Cape 
Lopez,  and  no  come  back  for  month  or  two." 

"Got  any  niggers  to  sell  cheap?" 

"  O,  very  few  and  very  high.  No  plenty.  No  come  in  at  all 
now." 

"  It's  no  use  to  run  into  the  Gabun,  if  that  is  the  case,"  the 
captain  said.  u  We  can  run  down  to  Magumba,  and  get  a  cargo 
without  trouble.  Good  by,  Crin€£ry,  and  try  and  do  better  the 
next  time  I  call.  Put  your  wheel  up,"  the  captain  shouted  to  the 
helmsman  ;  "  ease  off  the  main  sheet ;  "  and  round  we  went  like 
a  top,  and  stood  off  from  the  land,  as  though  really  bound  for 
Magumba. 

Cringy  watched  the  operation  of  wearing  ship  without  the 
slightest  appearance  of  disappointment.  But  when  he  saw  that 
the  schooner  was  really  headed  to  clear  Cape  Negro,  and  that  the 
sails  were  trimmed,  and  the  ropes  coiled  down  as  though  not  to 
be  disturbed  for  some  time,  his  philosophy  forsook  him.  He 
glanced  towards  the  captain  and  Buez,  but  they  paid  not  the 
slightest  attention  to  him.  They  were  drinking  grog  and  smok- 
ing cigars  on  the  weather  side  of  the  quarter-deck.  Cringy  looked 
towards  the  land,  which  was  fast  receding,  and  then  at  the  two 
Who  were  enjoying  themselves  upon  the  other  side  of  the  deck. 


A   BARGAIN   FOR   SLAVES.  29 

He  wavered,  and  at  last  yielded.  He  crossed  the  deck,  and  ad- 
dressed the  captain,  — 

"  Captain,  what  you  go  for?  " 

'*  For  a  cargo,  Cringy,  at  cheap  rates." 

"  Lordy,  you  don't  want  to  ruin  dis  nigger  —  does  you?  " 

"  No  ;  and  we  don't  mean  that  you  shall  ruin  us,  Cringy.  We 
can  buy  slaves  cheaper  than  you  sell  them." 

"  No ;  I  sell  less  than  udder  men.  How  much  you  gib  for 
tree  hundred  fat  niggers  ?  All  well,  all  Pangives.  Clever  —  n<5 
fight  —  no  sulk  —  all  like  go  on  water.  No  die.  How  much 
you  give?  " 

"  Twenty  dollars  apiece  —  pay  in  muskets,  powder,  lead, 
cloth,  and  money,"  the  supercargo  answered,  promptly. 

"  O,  crackee  ;  dat  no  pay  me.  Gib  me  thirty  dollars,  and  I 
put  'em  aboard.  Dat  cheap  for  'em.  All  fat." 

"  Twenty  dollars  —  no  more,"  was  the  very  cool  reply. 

Cringy  thought  a  moment,  and  glanced  towards  the  land,  which 
was  nearly  ten  miles  distant. 

"  You  gib  me  present  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  Yes  ;  and  one  for  your  first  wife." 

"  Den  I  sell  tree  hundred  niggers  at  twenty  dollars  apiece,  and 
you  got  darned  good  bargain.  I  lose  money." 

"  Now  you  begin  to  talk.  Drink  a  glass  of  grog,  and  swear 
by  your  fetich  that  you  will  act  fair  and  honorable,  or  suffer  per- 
secution from  witchcraft,  and  we  will  visit  Gabun." 

Cringy  did  not  like  the  oath,  for  the  natives  of  Africa  have  a 
great  dread  of  witchcraft ;  but  he  drank  the  liquor,  and  took  the 
vow  required.  There  was  no  fear  of  trusting  him  after  swear- 
ing to  the  oath  ;  for  the  old  fellow  was  much  more  fearful  of^ 
devils  than  mortals,  and  not  even  the  love  of  gold  could  have  in- 
duced him  to  break  his  word,  much  as  he  would  have  desired  to. 
He  was  as  affable  and  polite  as  a  Frenchman  after  a  good  dinner, 
and  for  his  condescension  got  several  stiff  glasses  of  grog ;  and 
by  the  time  he  had  finished  the  last  one,  the  mouth  of  the  river 
was  in  sight,  and  the  negro's  services  were  required  to  pilot  us 
over  the  bar,  which  is  formed  between  the  headlands,  and  re- 
quires some  knowledge  to  cross. 

•4  Come,  Cringy,"  said  Murphy,  removing  the  liquor,  "  you 
have  bowsed  up  your  jib  enough  for  one  day.  Take  us  over  the 
bar,  and  you  shall  have  a  bottle  of  brandy  for  your  wives." 


30  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

"  Rum  no  good  for  women,"  replied  the  fellow.  "  Make  'em 
quarrel  and  fight.  Me  drink  all,  and  den  no  fight." 

"  Well,  pilot  us  over  the  bar,  and  you  shall  have  a  bottle." 

"  No,  sar ;  I  do  no  such  ting  widont  money.  My  price  five 
dollars.  Dat  what  man-of-war  men  gibs  me.  I  no  work  for 
less." 

As  the  schooner  was  close  upon  the  bar,  Murphy  was  com- 
pelled to  yield  to  his  demand,  and  that  was  the  first  attempt  of 
Cringy  to  get  square. 

The  town  did  not  present  a  very  imposing  appearance,  consisting, 
as  it  did,  of  a  few  hundred  huts,  scattered  over  the  plain  and  on 
the  bluff;  but  the  small  number  of  houses  was  more  than  made 
amends  for  by  the  numerous  inhabitants  who  thronged  the  beach 
and  launched  canoes  upon  the  water  for  the  purpose  of  board- 
ing us.  They  crowded  around  the  vessel,  and  held  up  tempting 
displays  of  fruit  for  the  purpose  of  inducing  us  to  trade  ;  and  I 
must  confess  that  I  was  anxious  for  a  little  barter  in  that  line, 
but  Cringy  interfered. 

"  Go  away,  you  cussed  lazy  niggers,"  the  old  fellow  shouted, 
mounting  the  taffrail,  and  shaking  his  hat  and  fists  at  the  eager 
natives.  "  Dis  vessel  mine  —  I  supply  her  wid  eberyting.  De 
captain  no  want  what  you  got.  All  stale  wegetables  dat  you  got. 
De  captain  know  you  and  your  tricks.  Go  'way  and  look  arter 
your  wives,  for  white  man  goin*  on  shore  presently." 

Whether  this  threat  had  the  effect  of  dispersing  the  canoe-men, 
or  whether  they  considered  it  hopeless  to  contend  with  a  man  of 
Cringy's  abilities,  I  don't  know  ;  but  the  negroes,  with  grunts  of 
dissatisfaction,  paddled  for  the  shore.  But,  if  Cringy  did  monop- 
olize the  trade  of  the  schooner  in  regard  to  .'provisions  and  fruit, 
he  kept  us  well  supplied,  for  he  sent  on  feoard  a  canoe-load  of 
oranges  and  bananas  and  vegetables  in  profusion. 

The  next  day  we  hired  twenty  natives  to  come  on  board,  and 
commenced  breaking  out  the  hold  and  landing  cases  of  muskets, 
and  kegs  of  powder,  and  lead,  besides  boxes  of  white  chalk,  beads, 
and  various  trinkets  which  would  be  likely  to  please  not  only  the 
Africans  on  the  coast,  but  those  in  the  interior.  The  supercargo 
and  old  Cringy  were  the  most  active  men  to  be  seen  during  the 
time  that  the  cargo  was  discharging.  Everything  was  sent  to 
the  latter's  warehouse,  a  long  building  that  was  made  of  palm 
trees,  and  thatched  over  to  keep  out  the  rain.  After  the  cargo 


THE   SERPENT   NEAR  US.  31 

was  discharged  we  commenced  filling  our  water  casks  and  stow- 
ing them,  and  then  began  to  lay  the  slave  deck,  which  reposed 
upon  the  casks ;  yet  the  latter  could  be  got  at  any  time  during 
the  passage  when  water  was  required. 

While  we  were  laying  the  slave  deck  —  which  had  been  built 
and  fitted  in  Boston,  and  then  taken  apart  for  future  use  —  a  sig- 
nal was  given  from  the  bluff  that  a  sail  was  in  sight,  and  that  the 
stranger  was  standing  towards  the  mouth  of  the  river.  The  slave 
deck  would  have  condemned  us  without  judge  or  jury.  But 
Cringy  and  the  supercargo  were  equal  to  the  emergency.  In 
less  than  half  an  hour  the  deck  was  torn  up,  thrown  overboard, 
and  towed  on  shore  by  the  numerous  canoes  which  Cringy  had  at 
his  disposal.  The  instant  the  boards  touched  the  beach  they  were 
taken  to  the  woods  and  concealed,  and  there  was  no  fear  that  the 
natives  would  reveal  the  secret,  or  even  hint  at  our  true  charac- 
ter, for  their  prosperity  in  those  days  depended  entirely  upon  the 
slave  traffic. 

By  the  time  the  boards  were  stowed  away  Cringy  jumped  into 
his  canoe,  and  was  ready  to  go  outside  of  the  bar,  and  offer  his 
services  as  a  pilot.  Just  as  he  was  ready  to  shove  off  we  heard 
the  report  of  a  gun. 

"  Ah,  dat  English  man-of-war  I  know,"  the  old  fellow  cried. 
"  Now,  I  go  off  and  get  five  dollars,  and  humbug  John  Bull,  you 
see." 

And  we  did  see  the  Serpent  enter  the  harbor  in  half  an  hour's 
time,  and  drop  anchor  about  two  cable  lengths  from  the  schoon- 
er. No  sooner  were  the  sails  furled  than  a  boat  was  lowered, 
and  a  lieutenant,  the  same  one  who  had  visited  us  at  Ha- 
vana, came  on  board.  He  was  received  by  Guy  Ruez  in  the 
most  polite  manner,  while  Captain  Murphy  remained  in  the  back- 
ground. 

4i  Who  is  the  master  of  this  schooner?"  the  Englishman  said, 
after  a  slight  nod  to  me. 

"  I  have  the  honor,"  the  supercargo  answered. 

"  And  what  is  your  business  here  ?  "  was  the  next  question. 

44  Trade,"  was  the  laconic  answer. 

"  In  niggers?  "  was  the  abrupt  question. 

"  No,  sir  ;  I  hope  that  we  have  not  yet  got  to  that.  We  are  in 
search  of  palm  oil  and  ivory." 

44  Will  you  let  me  look  at  your  papers?" 


32  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

I  expected  that  the  Portuguese  would  be  staggered  by  this  de- 
mand, but  he  was  not.  He  led  the  way  into  the  cabin,  and  I 
saw  him  produce  bottles  and  a  box  of  papers. 

"  Your  papers  are  right,  but  I  should  like  a  look  at  the  schoon- 
er's hold,"  the  lieutenant  said,  at  length. 

"  The  hatcaes  are  off;  examine  at  your  leisure,"  was  the  an- 
swer. 

The  officer  came  on  deck.  Then  he  called  three  of  his  men, 
and  went  into  the  hold. 

"  What  are  all  these  casks  for?  "  he  asked,  looking  up  to  those 
on  deck. 

"  To  hold  palm  oil.     We  can't  carry  it  in  bulk,"  replied  Ruez. 

The  officer  colored,  and  continued  his  investigations. 

44  These  guns  are  for  the  same  purpose,  I  suppose,"  he  said, 
calling  our  attention  to  six  nine-pounders,  and  a  long  brass  thirty- 
two,  which  were  stowed  away  near  the  pumps. 

"  Ballast,  sir,  ballast  —  nothing  more,"  the  supercargo  an- 
swered, smiling  sweetly. 

The  lieutenant  continued  his  explorations  for  some  time,  but  at 
length,  finding  nothing  that  could  be  used  against  us,  came  on 
deck. 

"  We  shall  lie  here  for  some  weeks,"  he  said,  just  as  he  was 
leaving  the  side  of  the  vessel ;  "  and  be  assured  that  we  shall 
keep  an  eye  on  you  and  your  doings." 

The  boat  was  pushed  off,  and  rowed  back  to  the  Serpent 

"  Blast  his  impudence,"  muttered  Murphy  ;  "  how  I  should  like 
to  sink  his  old  tub  where  she  lies,  and  drown  every  soul  on  board  ! 
They  don't  like  to  see  an  honest  man  make  a  decent  living." 

But  the  Englishman  was  determined  to  carry  out  his  threat, 
and  remain  at  anchor  for  the  purpose  of  watching  our  move- 
ments, and  prevent  us  from  shipping  slaves.  Day  after  day 
passed,  and  still  the  Serpent  showed  no  signs  of  crawling  out  of 
the  harbor ;  but  the  supercargo  and  Murphy  manifested  no  im- 
patience. Once  in  a  while  the  Englishman  would  send  a  boat  on 
board  of  us,  take  a  general  survey,  and  then  retire,  satisfied  or 
dissatisfied,  it  was  impossible  to  tell  which  by  the  men's  looks. 

One  morning,  when  Cringy  came  onboard  to  bring  our  daily 
supply  of  fruit,  ho  informed  us  that  a  native  had  been  accused  of 
stealing  sheep,  and  that  he  was  to  be  u  tested  "  at  ten  o'clock  in 
the  village.  A  Tew  questions  enlightened  me  in  regard  to  the 


A    SUPERSTITIOUS   TEST.  38 

meaning  of  the  word  "  tested"  or  "  kalahalo"  as  the  natives  call 
the  exhibition.  The  thief  had  denied  his  guilt,  and  demanded  a 
trial  by  means  of  the  u  kalahalo,"  to  prove  his  innocence.  This 
appeal  had  to  be  allowed,  as  the  Africans  are  so  superstitious  that 
they  believe  a  person  after  death  has  the  power  to  trouble  with 
witchcraft  all  who  oppose  his  plea  for  the  test,  and  if  the  criminal 
can  come  forth  unscathed  by  the  ordeal,  he  is  declared  innocent, 
and  allowed  to  escape  without  further  punishment. 

The  sheep-stealer  was  to  be  tested  with  boiling  oil,  into  a  cal- 
dron of  which  he  was  to  thrust  his  naked  arm  up  to  the  shoulder, 
and  then  slowly  withdraw  it.  If  he  uttered  no  cries  of  pain  he 
was  innocent ;  but  if  he  even  whimpered  with  agony,  his  death  was 
certain  and  immediate  at  the  hands  of  the  crowd.  I  had  no 
trouble  in  obtaining  leave  of  absence,  and  even  Murphy,  who  was 
tired  of  doing  nothing  but  swilling  at  a  brandy  bottle,  agreed  to 
go  with  me. 


CHAPTER   III. 

A     TEST     CASE.  —  A     SHEEP-STEALER's     DEATH.  ->-  MONKEYS     AND 
THEIR   ENEMIES. A   NOVEL   BATTLE. KING    GEORGE'S   TOWN. 

CRINGY  was  an  authority  in  the  town,  and  although  not  general- 
ly respected  for  his  honesty,  was  regarded  for  his  wealth  and 
importance  in  the  commercial  world.  Therefore,  when  Cringy 
appeared  upon  the  ground,  the  natives  made  way  for  him  and  his 
company,  and  allowed  us  to  take  up  positions  close  to  the  spot 
where  the  test  was  to  be  applied.  A  large  pot  filled  with  palm 
oil  was  placed  over  a  fire  in  front  of  the  hut  where  the  prisoner 
was  confined,  and  already  the  liquid  was  bubbling  and  boiling  as 
though  impatient  for  its  victim.  Suddenly,  a  wild,  discordant 
sound  of  music  arose  from  the  village  musicians.  Their  instru- 
ments consisted  of  reeds  and  drums  of  the  primitive  kind,  but  they 
were  beaten  without  regard  to  time  or  tune.  Finally  the  mu- 
sicians ceased  their  labors,  and  then  the  crowd  set  up  a  yell  that 
would  have  done  honor  to  a  tribe  of  Indians  of  the  wildest  de- 
scription. 

3 


34  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

*'  Now  dey  bring  de  sheep-stealer  out,"  Cringy  said  to  me. 

44  But  will  the  man  really  put  his  arm  in  the  oil?  "  I  asked. 

"  Sartin  true." 

"  But  the  oil  will  burn  the  flesh  from  the  bone,"  I  said. 

"  Don't  know,"  replied  Cringy,  with  a  shake  of  his  white  head. 
44  S'pose  his  fetich  say  no  burn,  be  all  right." 

44  But  if  he  does  get  burned,  what  then?  " 

*4  Then  he  be  cussed  rascal,  and  we  kill  him." 

Just  at  that  moment  the  door  of  the  hut  was  thrown  open,  and 
the  music  recommenced  its  most  dismal  lamentations.  The  crowd 
gave  yell  after  yell  as  an  accompaniment,  and  the  natives  swayed 
to  and  fro,  all  eager  to  catch  sight  of  the  prisoner.  The  poor 
wretch  did  not  manifest  the  least  sign  of  fear  or  hesitancy.  He 
seemed  to  have  nerved  himself  for  the  ordeal  before  him,  and 
walked  with  a  firm  step  towards  the  fire.  But  Cringy's  eyes, 
more  sharp  than  mine,  detected  the  cause  of  the  courage  at  a 
glance. 

u  Ah,  de  blasted  scoundrel !  "  he  muttered  ;  "  he  eat  de  kalo" 

The  kalo  root  is  capable  of  stupefying  the  senses,  in  the  same 
manner  that  opium  does.  It  is  a  powerful  drug,  and  an  over- 
dose is  certain  death. 

Cringy  looked  disappointed  when  he  detected  the  man's  condi- 
tion, for  he  feared  that  he  could  not  revel  in  the  thief's  expressions 
of  agony,  and  then  see  him  knocked  on  the  head. 

44  Ah,  de  d — d  scoundrel  —  he  cheat  us,  arter  all.  Me  own 
sheep  ;  "  and  the  latter  part  of  his  remarks  showed  the  secret  of 
his  antipathy. 

When  the  culprit  was  within  a  fathom  of  the  boiling  oil,  a  huge, 
stalwart  fellow,  whom  Captain  Murphy  pronounced  worth  at  least 
eight  hundred  dollars,  landed  in  Havana,  made  a  proclamation 
setting  forth  the  prisoner's  crime,  and  his  confidence  of  innocence  ; 
that  to  prove  the  latter,  he  had  consented  to  submit  to  the  test ; 
and  that  the  people  were  to  judge  by  his  actions  whether  he  was 
to  be  acquitted  or  condemned.  And  the  people,  as  in  all  count  *ies, 
whether  inhabited  by  whites  or  blacks,  were  extremely  pleased  at 
the  idea  of  acting  as  judge  and  jury.  Once  again  the  music 
recommenced  its  discordant  noise,  and  the  prisoner  was  pushed 
towards  the  fire.  He  hesitated  for  a  moment,  as  he  looked  at 
the  bubbling  oil ;  but  the  guard  of  negroes  said  something,  and 
grinding  his  teeth  together  to  prevent  all  expressions  of  pain,  the 


OFF   FOR   AN   ELEPHANT   HUNT.  35 

sheep-stcaler  plunged  his  arm  into  the  kettle  ;  but  the  agony  was 
too  great  for  even  drugs  to  deaden.  With  a  wild  yell  of  pain  the 
poor  wretch  withdrew  his  limb,  and  danced  around  the  open  space 
that  was  left  him,  his  face  expressing  all  the  horrors  that  he  suf- 
fered. 

"Is  he  guilty? ".asked  the  huge  negro  before  alluded  to,  ap- 
pealing to  the  crowd,  and  speaking  in  his  native  language. 

"  Kill  him !  "  was  the  cry ;  and  hardly  were  the  words  uttered, 
before  half  a  dozen  clubs  fell  upon  the  fellow's  head  with  force 
enough  to  have  crushed  the  skull  of  an  ox. 

"  Ah,"  muttered  Cringy,  with  a  sigh  of  relief,  '*  de  blame  rascal 
no  teal  sheeps  more.  Me  berry  glad  dat  he  be  killed.  He  great 
humbug." 

As  the  exhibition  was  over,  we  accepted  Cringy's  escort  through 
the  crowd,  and  gained  the  Coquette  in  safety.  To  pay  our  cice- 
rone for  his  trouble,  we  gave  Cringy  a  bottle  of  rum,  for  which  he 
seemed  very  grateful,  and  just  before  departing  made  a  proposi- 
tion that  I  gladly  accepted. 

"  To-morrow,"  he  said,  "  I  go  to  King  George's  town,  thirty 
miles  up  de  river.  Grand  elephant  hunt  up  dare  day  arter  to- 
morrow. Drive  'em  in  pen,  and  den  kill  'em.  Lots  o'  fun  ;  s'pose 
you  in  big  tree  ;  you  no  get  hurt.  You  go?  " 

I  readily  got  permission  to  leave  the  vessel,  and  even  Murphy 
decided  that  he  would  like  the  trip  for  the  sake  of  passing  away 
time.  We  spent  the  evening  in  cleaning  our  revolvers  and  rifles, 
and  getting  ready  for  an  early  start.  Murphy  had  thought  that 
it  was  best  to  go  well  armed,  in  case  the  people  of  King  George's 
town  should  prove  hostile,  or  take  a  fancy  to  any  of  our  clothing 
while  we  were  absent  from  Cringy's  side,  for  it  was  generally 
understood  that  the  king's  people  were  not  over  particular  in  what 
they  stole,  or  whom  they  stole  from.  The  next  day,  an  hour  be- 
fore sunrise,  Cringy  came  alongside  with  his  bark  canoe,  pad- 
dled by  four  'blacks,  who  were  stripped  to  their  waist  like  their 
brethren  on  shore.  The  canoe  was  large,  and  the  portion  we  oc- 
cupied was  completely  screened  from  the  sun  by  grass  cloth,  of 
native  manufacture.  We  put  on  board  a  few  bottles  of  rum  for 
the  king  and  chiefs,  and  a  case  of  claret  for  ourselves,  and 
added  a  keg  of  tobacco  as  the  next  most  acceptable  present  for 
our  darky  friends,  and  then  shoved  into  the  stream,  the  negroes 
accompanying  their  rowing  with  a  wild,  monotonous  song,  that 


36  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

sounded  very  well  for  the  first  quarter  of  the  way.  In  half  an 
four's  time,  we  had  left  the  town  far  astern  of  us,  and  were  pull- 
ing through  a  wilderness.  The  river  ran  between  high  banks,  a 
portion  of  the  distance  to  the  King  George's  village,  each  of  which 
was  lined  with  rank  vegetation,  and  trees  of  the  palm  species, 
some  of  them  of  the  largest  size.  Every  few  moments  we  would 
come  upon  a  troop  of  monkeys,  grinning  and  skylarking  amid  the 
trees,  and  chatting  shrilly,  as  though  defying  us  to  harm  them. 
We  considered  them  unworthy  our  ammunition,  and  oar  silence 
emboldened  the  black  rascals  to  follow  us  along  the  river,  which 
they  could  do  very  easily  by  jumping  from  tree  to  tree.  We  en- 
couraged them  to  continue  in  pursuit  by  insulting  gestures,  which 
the  imps  were  not  slow  to  return  with  interest ;  and  at  length  they 
grew  so  enraged  that  they  plucked  boughs  from  the  trees  and 
hurled  them  at  us,  and  showed  their  long  teeth  with  most  ma- 
licious looks.  Suddenly  the  troop  uttered  a  frightful  yell,  but  it 
sounded  to  me  more  like  a  cry  of  terror  than  of  anger.  I  saw  a 
stately  palm  sway  to  and  fro,  as  though  agitated  by  the  wind,  yet 
there  was  not  a  breath  of  air  stirring  on  the  river,  and  I  was  at  a 
loss  how  to  account  for  it.  There  was  a  sudden  squawk,  and 
hundreds  of  monkeys  could  be  seen  leaving  the  tree  with  leaps  of 
the  most  astonishing  description.' 

"  Now  you  see  fun,"  muttered  Cringy.  "  Big  snake  in  de  tree. 
Grab  monkey  ar.d  eat  'em.  Wait  a  leetle  bit." 

The  natives  stopped  rowing,  and  watched  the  tree  with  keen 
eyes.  After  a  few  moments'  silence  the  palm  was  again  agitated, 
and  through  the  leaves  we  could  see  the  gyrations  of  a  huge  ser- 
pent, which  had  captured  one  of  the  monkeys  for  a  breakfast,  and 
was  about  to  secure  a  good,  easy  position  for  the  purpose  of  swal- 
lowing its  prey  at  leisure.  Once  or  twice  the  monster's  head 
was  thrust  through  an  opening,  and  we  could  see  that  the  monkey 
even  then  was  struggling  to  escape  from  the  fangs  of  the  boa. 

"  Dat  good  chance  for  a  shot,"  Cringy  suggested,  motioning 
his  dusky  companions  to  keep  the  canoe  opposite  the  tree,  and 
not  let  it  drift  down  stream  with  the  tide.  "  S'pose  you  hit  'em, 
if  you  can.  Yankee  say  dat  dey  be  smart  wid  de  rifle." 

"  Hit  thunder !  "  grunted  Murphy,  who  had  been  making  sad 
havoc  with  the  claret  during  the  passage. 

"  P'aps  you  hit  'em,"  Cringy  said,  addressing  me  with  a  grin 
upon  his  cunning  face. 


THE    SNAKE    AND    MONKEY.  37 

"  I  can  hit  him  from  here,  if  you  will  keep  the  canoe  steady," 
I  replied,  calmly. 

"  Blast  me  if  I  won't  bet  on  it,"  the  captain  said. 

"  I  take  de  bet  —  what  shall  it  be  ?  "  Cringy  asked. 

"  Fifty  dollars  against  a  fifty  pound  tusk,"  Murphy  replied. 

"  I  take  dat  bet,"  the  negro  said,  quite  coolly,  "  and  I  win  de 
moneys,  too." 

"  Perhaps,"  Murphy  cried,  lighting  a  cigar,  and  motioning  me 
to  do  my  best. 

The  natives,  who  were  as  anxious  for  the  sport  as  myself,  pad- 
dled the  canoe  as  close  to  the  tree  as  it  was  prudent  to  do,  and 
then  remained  perfectly  quiet,  awaiting  my  shot.  They  did  not 
have  to  wait  long,  for  the  boa,  in  its  restlessness,  was  continually 
moving  its  head  and  a  portion  of  its  body  through  openings, 
and  it  was  during  one  of  these  moments'  that  I  took  a  careful  aim 
and  fired.  The  tree  was  shaken  as  though  a  hurricane  was  pass- 
ing through  its  branches,  and  the  next  instant  the  head  of  the 
boa,  with  only  the  tail  and  hind  legs  of  the  monkey,  was  exposed 
to  our  view,  and  swinging  and  surging  towards  the  water,  as 
though  desirous  of  disengaging  its  prey  from  a  distended  mouth. 

"  I've  won  the  bet !  "  shouted  Murphy. 

"  By  dam,  I  dink  you  have,"  muttered  Cringy,  a  shade  of  dis- 
appointment passing  over  his  withered  face. 

Just  at  that  moment  the  boa's  head  reached  the  surface  of  the 
river,  and  beat  the  water  to  a  foam  in  its  agony.  We  watched 
the  scene  with  some  interest,  and  while  we  were  thus  occupied, 
Cringy  touched  me  on  my  shoulder,  and  pointed  with  his  lean 
finger  up  the  river. 

"  Ah,  now  you  see  fun,"  he  said,  with  a  grin  of  satisfaction. 

44  What  is  it?  "I  asked. 

"  Alligator  cum  down  de  riber  to  see  what  de  noise  all  'bout. 
Hab  a  grand  fight,  and  we  no  care  which  lick." 

44  Where  is  he?"  Tasked. 

"  Dare  — •  you  no  see  ?  " 

"  I  see  nothing  but  an  old  log  floating  down  stream,"  I  re- 
plied. 

"  Dat  no  log  —  dat  alligator.  Eat  nigger  for  breakfast,  and 
want  more." 

We  were  not  left  long  in  suspense,  for  the  animal,  without  any 
perceptible  movement,  suddenly  sank,  and  when  it  rose  to  the 


38  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

surface  it  was  close  to  the  head  of  the  snake,  which  still  con- 
tinued its  struggles  and  gyrations,  greatly  to  the  delight  of  the 
monkeys,  which  still  kept  their  positions  on  the  trees,  and  chatted 
unceasingly. 

44  Now  for  de  cussed'st  fight  dat  you  eber  did  see,"  cried  Cringy  ; 
and  just  as  he  spoke  the  alligator  made  a  sudden,  clumsy  lurch 
for  the  snake's  neck,  seized  it  in  its  ponderous  jaws,  and 
seemed  to  make  its  teeth  meet  through  and  through  bones,  mus- 
cle, and  flesh.  The  tree  was  shaken  more  fiercely  than  ever,  but 
it  was  the  movement  of  the  boa  in  getting  a  firm  position  with 
its  tail,  before  commencing  the  fight  in  earnest. 

At  the  first,  movement  the  monkey  was  disgorged,  and  floated 
down  the  stream,  so  crushed  out  of  shape  that  its  own  family 
would  not  have  recognized  it.  But  it  was  not  suffered  to  drift 
far,  for  a  dark  head  made  its  appearance,  and  with  one  loud  snap 
huge  jaws  closed  upon  the  dead  body,  and  it  was  dragged  to 
the  bed  of  the  river  to  be  devoured  at  leisure.  The  fight  be- 
tween the  alligator  and  the  boa  now  demanded  our  whole  atten- 
tion, and  amply  repaid  us  for  the  time  consumed  in  witnessing 
it.  The  denizen  of  the  river,  still  grasping  the  snake's  head 
between  its  ponderous  jaws,  attempted  to  sink  to  the  bottom, 
and  did  succeed  in  settling  down  half  a  fathom ;  but  the  snake, 
with  a  powerful  jerk,  once  more  gained  the  surface  of  the  water, 
and  even  raised  the  body  of  the  alligator  a  few  feet  clear  of  the 
river:  the  next  instant  both  fell  with  a  crash  that  sent  the  foam 
flying  in  all  directions,  and  for  a  few  seconds  the  water  was  so 
agitated  that  we  could  not  distinguish  the  combatants.  When 
the  smoke  of  the  battle  had  cleared  away  a  little,  I  observed  that 
the  boa  was  seeking  to  draw  its  foe  to  the  shore,  where  the  fight 
would  have  been  conducted  on  more  equal  terms  ;  but  to  this  ar- 
rangement the  alligator  objected  with  all  its  power,  and  attempted 
to  make  short  work  of  the  business  by  lashing  out  with  its  power- 
ful tail,  and  each  blow  that  was  struck  seemed  capable  of  pros- 
trating a  tree,  if  one  had  stood  in  its  way.  But,  unfortunately, 
the  alligator  could  not  retain  its  hold  with  its  teeth  and  use  its 
chief  weapon  for  attack  at  the  same  time  ;  so  every  blow  fell  short, 
and  while  they  did  not  injure  the  snake,  they  served  to  weaken 
the  alligator.  The  latter  was  slowly  drawn  towards  the  shore, 
yet  there  was  no  intention  manifested  to  relinquish  its  power- 
ful hold,  and  quit  the  companionship  of  so  powerful  an  enemy. 


A    SNAKE   AND    ALLIGATOR   FIGHT.  39 

The  snake  made  many  attempts  to  use  its  huge  jaws  upon  the 
scaly  hide  of  its  antagonist,  but  was  not  successful  until  the  river 
monster  touched  the  land,  when  the  latter  suddenly  relinquished 
its  hold  for  the  purpose  of  escaping  to  the  water ;  but  it  was  too 
late.  The  boa  suddenly  extended  its  enormous  jaws,  and  with  a 
motion  quick  as  lightning  seized  the  alligator  by  one  of  its  flippers, 
and  with  one  jerk  threw  it  many  feet  up  the  bank.  The  alli- 
gator again  made  an  attempt  to  reach  the  water,  and  seemed  no 
longer  desirous  of  continuing  the  fight ;  but  the  boa  was  not  to  be 
shaken  off  in  that  manner.  It  uncoiled  its  powerful  tail,  and  took 
three  or  four  turns  around  the  body  of  its  foe,  and  then  dragged 
it  towards  the  trunk  of  a  tree,  around  which  coil  after  coil  was 
thrown,  each  one  gradually  increasing  in  intensity,  until  we  could 
hear  the  bones  of  the  black  monster  crack,  and  could  see  the  blood 
spurt  from  under  its  scales  and  dye  the  slimy  body  a  crimson  hue. 

"  Dat  cuss  dead,  sure,"  grunted  Cringy,  with  a  satisfied  look. 
"  Now  s'pose  you  kill  t'other  one,  'fore  he  cackle  too  much  at  his 
luck." 

I  had  loaded  my  rifle  during  the  fight,  and  was  not  adverse  to 
once  more  showing  my  skill  as  a  marksman.  I  took  a  good  aim 
at  the  head  of  the  boa,  and  fired.  The  eyes,  which  but  a  moment 
before  were  like  living  coals  of  fire,  lost  their  fierceness,  and  the 
head  of  the  boa  fell  until  it  touched  the  ground.  .The  coils  around 
the  tree  and  the  alligator  were  gradually  relaxed,  and  all  move- 
ments ceased.  The  snake  and  its  opponent  were  both  dead. 

We  saw  many  species  of  wild  animals  while  going  up  the  river, 
and  I  got  two  or  three  very  fair  shots  at  tigers  ;  but  the  distance 
was  too  great  for  serious  effect.  At  eleven  o'clock  we  came  in 
sight  of  the  village,  which  looked  very  pretty,  nestled  in  between 
thick  groves  of  palms  and  red  wood.  As  we  neared  the  town,  I 
saw  a  dozen  or  twenty  persons  dressed  in  white  pants  and  blue 
dungaree  jackets,  somewhat  the  worse  for  wear.  Those  thus 
clothed  were  armed  with  muskets,  which  they  seemed  to  carry 
with  considerable  pride,  and  to  keep  at  a  distance  from  the  half- 
naked  rabble,  which  were  squatting  upon  their  hams  and  chat- 
ting like  so  many  monkeys,  regarding  our  visit  and  its  object. 

"You  see  dose  sogers  in  de  uniform?"  Cringy  asked,  point- 
ing to  the  landing  with  evident  pride. 

44  Yes  —  who  are  they?  " 

"  Dem   de  king's  wives.     Dey  fight  like  de  deble,  when  'em 


40  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

mad  up.  Kill  ebery  ding  dat  comes  afore  'em.  Yon  must  be 
'tickler  when  you  speak  to  'em,  and  no  laugh.  Dey  no  ding  noth- 
ing of  shooting  man.  King  like  'em  bery  much." 

When  we  were  eight  fathoms  from  the  landing-place,  one  of 
the  female  soldiers  presented  her  musket  and  hailed. 

u  Kala  hilo!"  she  cried,  which  Cringy  said  was  an  order  to 
stop  where  we  were  without  delay,  and  our  oarsmen  were  not 
slow  to  do  so. 

4<«»  Where  do  you  come  from,  and  what  do  you  wish  ?  "  were 
the  next  questions  addressed  in  the  peculiar  dialect  of  the  village, 
and  which  Cringy  interpreted  for  us. 

"  We  are  traders,"  shouted  Criugy,  "  desirous  of  purchasing, 
and  to  show  our  good  will,  have  brought  many  presents  for  the 
king." 

"Then  wait  until  the  king's  commands  arrive,  before  yon 
land,"  replied  the  soldier  ;  and  she  sent  off  one  of  her  companions 
to  carry  the  news  to  his  dusky  majesty. 

In  a  few  minutes  the  messengers  returned  with  the  information 
that  we  could  land  and  visit  his  majesty,  and  bring  our  presents 
with  us.  A  procession  was  formed,  and  we  were  escorted  to  the 
quarters  of  the  king,  several  natives  bringing  up  the  rear  with 
the  liquor  and  tobacco,  which  I  saw  was  eyed  with  wishful  glances 
by  the  dusky  throng ;  but  not  one  of  them  was  bold  enough  to  lay 
a  hand  upon  that  which  belonged  to  or  was  intended  for  the  king. 

His  majesty  was  housed  in  the  best  building  in  the  village.  It 
was  enclosed  with  mud  walls,  eight  feet  high  and  two  feet  thick, 
which  were  intended  as  a  protection  in  case  of  an  attack  and  in- 
surrection by  his  subjects.  It  would  not  have  stood  more  than 
two  discharges  from  cannon  ;  but  those  articles  the  natives  never 
used  in  their  warfare  —  muskets  of  the  poorest  pattern  being  the 
extent  of  their  resources.  The  king  was  seated  on  a  raised  plat- 
form, at  the  extreme  end  of  his  reception-room,  decorated  with 
skulls  of  his  enemies,  which  his  guard  had  killed  in  battle.  On 
each  side  of  his  majesty  was  a  line  of  warriors,  looking  as  un- 
like women  as  possible.  The  king  was  dressed  in  the  cast-off 
suit  of  some  naval  officer,  who  had,  years  before,  made  a  present 
of  it  to  his  majesty,  and  received  in  exchange  two  or  three  hundred 
dollars'  worth  of  ivory,  in  the  shape  of  elephant  tushes.  His  head 
was  ornamented  with  a  marine's  hat,  and  covered  with  feathers 
of  various  tints,  the  red  feathers  of  the  flamingo  predominating. 


AN   INTERVIEW   WITH    A   KING.  41 

By  his  side  he  had  a  ship's  cutlass,  without  a  sheath,  and  the 
stains  of  rust  upon  the  blade  were  significant  of  sudden  deaths  of 
rebellious  subjects,  during  moments  when  his  majesty  was  not  in 
a  good  humor.  Cringy  approached  the  great  man  —  he  was  a 
tall,  stout  negro,  black  as  coal  tar  —  with  many  symptoms  of 
reverence  and  admiration,  and  with  no  little  tribulation. 

"  We  come,,  great  king,"  he  said,  knocking  his  head  upon  the 
mud  floor,  in  token  of  his  own  littleness  in  the  presence  of  so 
mighty  a  man,  "  as  friends,  and  with  friendly  offerings.  The 
white  men,  who  are  engaged  in  the  slave  trade,  have  heard  of 
your  majesty,  and  desired  to  see  you." 

.  u  You  are  welcome,  and  also  your  friends.  But  where's  the 
rum  and  tobacco  ? "  his  majesty  replied  and  asked  in  the  same 
breath,  as  though  he  considered  them  of  much  more  importance 
than  formal  compliments. 

Cringy  hastened  to  take  them  from  the  hands  of  the  natives, 
and  lay  them  at  the  foot  of  the  throne,  when  his  majesty  forgot 
his  dignity,  and  starting  up  from  the  platform,  made  a  dive  at  the 
bottle,  which  was  filled  with  Medford  rum. 

tkRum?"  said  his  majesty,  shaking  the  liquor. 

"  Rum,  your  highness,"  replied  Cringy. 

The  black  monarch  raised  the  bottle  to  his  lips,  threw  back  his 
head,  and  we  could  hear  the  liquor  disappearing  down  his  throat 
at  a  rapid  rate. 

"  Ah,"  he  sighed,  as  he  removed  the  bottle  from  his  mouth, 
and  carefully  re-corked  it,  "  it  is  good  rum,  and  I  welcome  my 
friends  who  brought  it." 

The  monarch  then  descended  from  his  throne,  put  the  broached 
bottle  under  his  arm,  and  waving  all  ceremony,  approached  us  in 
the  most  free  and  easy  manner,  and  shook  hands. 

"  Tell  the  old  fool,"  cried  Murphy,  "  that  we  have  visited  him 
for  the  purpose  of  seeing  an  elephant  hunt." 

Cringy  interpreted  the  captain's  words,  but  I  strongly  suspect 
that  he  left  out  all  superfluous  compliments. 

"  To-morrow  forenoon,"  was  the  king's  answer,  "  my  people 
will  hunt  the  elephant,  as  a  large  herd  is  within  a  few  miles  of 
the  village.  You  shall  be  welcome  to  see  the  sport,  and  shall  be 
assured  of  my  protection.  I  have  said  it,"  he  continued,  turning 
to  his  body-guard,  and  waving  his  hand  with  kingly  dignity  ;  and 
then  he  took  a  fresh  pull  at  the  rum,  and  rubbed  his  chest  with 


42  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

satisfaction  at  the  warm  glow  which  passed  over  his  abdomen  in 
consequence.  "  The  Americans  are  a  great  people,"  he  said. 
"  They  make  good  rum."  And  as  though  to  prove  the  assertion, 
he  took  another  pull  at  the  black  bottle,  and  grunted  his  satisfac- 
tion more  freely. 

As  there  was  nothing  further  for  us  to  stop  for,  I  proposed  to 
Cringy  that  we  should  leave  the  royal  presence,  and  take  a  stroll 
through  the  village.  Our  wish  was  made  known  to  the  king,  and 
he  graciously  accorded  us  his  permission  ;  but'while  we  were  re- 
treating from  the  hall  of  reception,  his  noble  majesty  hailed  us. 

"  You  can  stop  at  the  palace  while  here,  and  I  will  have  a 
sheep  killed  for  you  to  feed  upon,"  he  said ;  and  then  we  bowed 
our  acknowledgments,  and  were  continuing  on  our  way  towards 
the  door,  when  his  majesty  once  more  spoke,  and  we  were  obliged 
to  stop  and  listen.  "  The  white  men  like  women  —  they  can 
each  have  two  wives  while  stopping  in  my  town." 

Cringy  seemed  to  think  that  such  a  favor  was  worthy  of  an 
abject  prostration,  for  it  was  seldom  that  the  king  opened  his  heart 
in  such  a  striking  manner.  I  would  have  declined  the  honor,  but 
Criugy  hurried  me  along,  and  I  had  no  opportunity  to  speak. 

Cringy's  first  visit  was  to  the  slave  pen,  an  immense  enclosure, 
the  walls  of  which  were  built  of  heavy  timber,  and  fifteen  feet 
high,  so  that  the  captives  could  not  escape  dnring  the  night,  al- 
though a  guard  was  constantly  on  duty  at  the  pen,  with  orders  to 
shoot  down  all  refractory  slaves,  and  even  those  who  were  in  the 
least  inclined  to  stubbornness.  We  were  readily  admitted  to  the 
enclosure,  for  the  king's  orders  had  preceded  us ;  and  besides, 
Cringy  was  well  known  as  a  dealer  in  slaves,  and  one  who  had 
the  first  choice,  if  extra  lots  were  offered.  Here  I  saw  for  the 
first  time  the  negroes  destined  to  be  transported  to  Cuba,  and  I 
must  confess  that  I  was  somewhat  astonished,  for  I  expected  ab- 
ject despair,  and  an  utter  abandonment  of  all  hope  ;  but  there  was 
some  cheerfulness,  and  in  a  few  cases  extreme  indifference.  The 
men  and  women  were  all  together,  and  no  attempt  was  made 
to  separate  them.  Some  were  stretched  upon  their  backs  and 
basking  in  the  hot  sun,  while  others  were  sleeping  under  the  roof 
which  covered  one  quarter  of  the  enclosure,  and  kept  off  the  rains 
and  heavy  dews.  Some  were  playing  at  games,  and  a  number 
were  seated  in  a  circle  relating  stories,  which  were  listened  to 
with  much  eagerness  and  apparent  pleasure. 


A    SLAVE   PEN.  43 

Captain  Murphy  and  myself  were  objects  of  particular  curiosity 
on  the  part  of  the  captives,  for  we  were  the  first  white  men  they 
had  ever  seen.  Much  did  they  marvel  at  the  color  of  our  skin,  and 
they  were  constantly  comparing  their  black  arms  with  ours,  and 
apparently  attempting  to  explain  the  difference.  Some  even  rubbed 
at  our  hands  for  the  purpose  of  seeing  if  we  had  not  stained  our 
skins  with  coloring  matter,  and  when  they  found  that  our  flesh 
remained  without  change,  they  would  utter  exclamations  of  as- 
tonishment. Cringy  had  bought  the  lot  a  week  before  we  arrived, 
and  he  had  expressly  stipulated  with  King  George  that  the  latter 
should  feed  them  and  retain  possession  until  they  were  wanted 
at  the  Gabun. 

We  left  the  slave  pen  highly  satisfied  with  the  cargo  which  we 
were  to  ship,  and  then  strolled  through  the  village,  and  examined 
everything  that  attracted  our  attention.  The  natives  were  quiet 
and  civil,  and  followed  us  from  place  to  place  as  objects  of  great 
curiosity,  and  we  could  not  get  rid  of  our  admirers  until  one 
of  the  amazons  overtook  us,  and  informed  us  that  dinner  was 
ready  at  the  palace.  The  instant  the  natives  saw  that  we  were 
under  the  charge  of  a  body-guard,  they  dropped  us  and  dodged 
into  their  huts,  while  we  kept  on  our  way  and  reached  the  palace, 
where  we  found  the  king  gloriously  drunk,  and  reckless  of  his 
dignity  ;  for  he  had  stripped  off  his  uniform,  and  wus  rolling  about 
the  floor  with  nothing  on  but  a  piece  of  cotton,  and  that  was  rather 
scanty  and  out  of  proportion  to  his  nakedness.  He  was  in  what 
they  called  a  dangerous  state,  and  was  just  as  likely  to  order  his 
best  friend's  head  off  as  to  take  another  drink  of  old  Medford. 

It  was  ludicrous  to  see  Cringy  work  to  conciliate  the  black  king, 
and  not  cross  him  so  as  to  expose  his  precious  life.  The  rascal 
knew  that  each  was  necessary  for  the  prosperity  of  the  other, 
to  I  did  not  anticipate  any  violence,  even  if  old  Medford  was 
in  the  ascendant.  While  compliments  were  raging,  a  fellow 
whom  we  took  to  be  prime  minister  motioned  us  to  follow  him 
to  another  room,  and  we  left  his  majesty  somewhat  abruptly. 
The  apartment  we  were  ushered  into  contained  a  few  rough  seats, 
a  huge  pot,  tended  by  a  naked  female  dripping  with  perspiration, 
and  half  a  dozen  slaves  whose  duty  it  was  to  wait  upon  us  and 
see  that  our  wants  were  supplied,  for  it  was  intimated  that  half  a 
sheep  had  been  boiled  for  our  especial  gratification,  and  that  we 
were  expected  to  do  justice  to  the  meal.  The  remains  of  the 


44 

sheep  were  picked  from  the  pot  and  spread  upon  huge  leaves  on 
the  floor,  and  then  we  were  encouraged  to  fall  to  and  do  our  best. 
As  the  food  did  not  look  very  appetizing,  I  concluded  to  make  my 
dinner  upon  bananas,  large  numbers  of  which  were  piled  up  in 
one  corner,  and  I  intimated  as  much  ;  but  to  my  surprise  I  was 
refused,  with  many  expressions  of  disgust,  which  I  was  at  a  loss 
to  account  for,  until  Cringy  told  me  that  the  bananas  which  I  saw 
had  been  poisoned  for  the  purpose  of  stupefying  the  elephants 
which  we  were  to  hunt  the  next  day. 

As  soon  as  the  meat  was  cleared  away,  a  lot  of  fruit,  to  my 
great  joy,  was  brought  on,  and  to  that  I  did  ample  justice,  and 
satisfied  my  appetite.  Our  dessert  consisted  of  a  bottle  of  claret, 
and  when  we  had  finished,  it  was  intimated  that  the  king's  ama- 
zons  were  about  to  go  through  with  their  evening  drill,  and  that 
we  could  witness  it  if  so  disposed. 

Lighting  our  cigars  we  visited  the  parade  ground,  enclosed  by 
the  palace  walls,  and  saw  the  famous  soldiers,  which  were  such  a 
terror  to  the  undisciplined  tribes,  drawn  up  in  line,  and  the  king, 
still  retaining  his  bottle,  reviewing  them.  Their  evolutions  were 
not  marked  with  great  precision,  but  Cringy  was  in  raptures,  and 
boldly  proclaimed,  in  the  hearing  of  the  king,  that  the  world  did 
not  contain  anything  half  so  magnificent  —  a  remark  "that  was 
calculated  to  please  his  majesty,  if  he  was  sober  enough  to  ap- 
preciate it,  of  which  I  had  some  doubt.  The  military  spectacle 
did  not  last  over  half  an  hour,  when  the  line  was  dismissed,  and 
the  king  staggered  back  to  his  palace,  and  we  spent  the  rest  of 
the  day  until  evening  in  wandering  about  the  town.  At  sun- 
down, desirous  of  escaping  the  heavy  dews,  which  are  productive 
of  fever,  we  returned  to  our  quarters,  and  were  shown  separate 
rooms  to  lodge  in  ;  and  to  my  surprise  I  found  that  the  king  had 
kept  his  word  in  regard  to  the  appointment  of  wives  for  the  time 
being,  for  I  saw  that  the  lady  whom  I  was  favored  with  had 
taken  possession,  and  was  apparently  as  contented  as  though  she 
had  a  legal  right  there.  In  fact  she  was  spreading  blankets  in 
one  corner  of  the  room,  and  seemed  disposed  to  make  everything 
comfortable  for  the  night. 

"  Cringy,"  I  said,  "  what  shall  I  do?" 

44  Do?  "  repeated  the  negro,  in  astonishment ;  "  why,  do  all  the 
same  as  Captain  Murphy.  He  no  make  a  fuss." 

There  was  truth  in  that  remark,  for  the  captain  had  closed  his 


AN   ELEPHANT   HUNT.  45 

apology  for  a  door,  and  not  the  first  word  of  complaint  was  heard 
issuing  from  his  den. 

"  S'pose  you  no  honor  de  king's  present,  king  he  berry  mad, 
and  dink  de  woman  no  suit  you.  He  kill  woman  in  de  morning." 

To  save  her  life,  I  compelled  her  to  occupy  one  side  of  the 
room,  while  I  took  the  other. 

Before  daylight  I  was  awaked  by  the  note  of  preparation  in  the 
court-yard,  and  in  a  short  time  old  Cringy  made  his  appearance  in 
my  room. 

"  Come,"  said  he,  "  de  people  all  get  ready  to  hunt  de  ele- 
phant, and  bress  de  Lord,  de  king  is  sober  and  good-natured  as 
a  sheep." 

I  lost  no  time  in  getting  ready ;  and  when  Murphy  and  myself 
entered  the  yard  daylight  appeared,  and  revealed  the  strange- 
looking  group  who  were  to  guide  and  protect  us  during  the  day. 
Not  one  of  the  black  fellows  had  so  much  clothing  upon  his  per- 
son as  a  ballet  dancer,  and,  to  add  to  their  hideousness,  their 
bodies  were  greased  with  palm  oil  from  their  heads  to  their  feet. 
They  were  armed  with  long  spears,  and  about  a  dozen  of  the 
famous  body-guard  carried  muskets. 

We  started  after  a  slight  repast  of  boiled  mutton,  and  our 
course  was  over  a  tract  of  land  that  was  as  beautiful  and  rich  as 
any  that  I  ever  saw. 

An  hour's  march  brought  us  to  the  hut  of  the  native  who  owned 
the  banana  patch  where  the  elephants  had  committed  their  depre- 
dations. The  dark-complexioned  gentleman  was  unceremoniously 
compelled  to  leave  his  quarters  for  the  king  and  friends,  and 
we  took  possession,  without  reproaching  our  consciences  for  so 
doing. 

As  soon  as  we  were  refreshed,  runners  were  despatched  to  find 
the  elephants,  and  in  half  an  hour  they  returned  with  the  informa- 
tion that  the  herd  were  quietly  feeding  half  a  mile  from  the  hut, 
and  were  quite  docile.  This  intelligence  inspired  ttie  king  to 
commence  operations  immediately,  and  we  started  without  delay. 
I  obvserved  our  old  friend  Cringy  did  not  manifest  that  alac- 
rity in  setting  out  that  I  expected,  and  when  I  reproached  him 
with  his  lukewarmness,  he  pleaded  that  he  was  old  and  could  not 
run  fast ;  which  I  thought  a  good  excuse,  and  would  have  left 
him  behind,  but  his  tormentor,  the  king,  would  not  listen  to  the 
proposition  for  a  moment ;  and  with  many  rueful  looks,  Cringle 
was  compelled  to  lead  the  procession. 


46  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

We  marched  until  we  heard  the  loud  "  trumps "  of  the  ele- 
phants, and  then  halted,  while  the  natives  commenced  collecting 
boughs  which  resembled  grape  vines  in  their  size  and  toughness. 
They  were  found  upon  a  peculiar  species  of  tree  in  profusion,  and 
as  fast  as  they  were  brought  in,  they  were  knotted  together,  and 
coiled  in  a  circle  like  the  layers  of  a  rope  upon  a  ship's  deck.  I 
could  not  understand  the  meaning  of  such  preparation,  and  was 
compelled  to  resort  to  Cringy.  He  enlightened  me. 

u  Dem  de  elephants  no  like,"  he  said.  u  Dey  shun  'em,  and  no 
break  through  'em  if  they  can  help  it.  We  draw  a  line  round  de 
elephants,  all  but  one  place,  and  all  shout  loud.  De  elephants 
dey  see  de  vines,  and  no  care  about  touching  'em.  Dey  find  de 
place  where  no  vines,  and  dey  go.  Dat  lead  'em  in  whar  dey  eat 
de  pisened  bananas,  and  den  niggers  kill  'em  wid  de  spear." 

I  could  hardly  believe  that  such  a  course  was  possible,  but  the 
more  I  watched  the  conduct  of  the  natives,  the  more  convinced 
did  I  become  that  such  was  the  plan  for  capture.  I  also  noticed 
that  the  trees  in  the  vicinity  of  the  vines  were  left  entirely  unmo- 
lested, whereas  hundreds  were  broken  down  where  the  vines  did 
not  grow.  I  became  more  interested,  and  watched  the  natives 
closely.  When  a  sufficient  number  of  vines  were  collected  to 
form  a  rope  at  least  a  mile  and  a  half  in  length,  one  native 
seized  an  end  and  started  towards  the  brutes,  which  were  graz- 
ing and  "  trumping  "  in  fancied  security-  As  soon  as  the  native 
who  led  the  way  had  got  about  twenty  fathoms  from  the  main 
coil,  another  native  took  hold ;  and  so  they  continued  to  do  until 
one  half  of  the  rope  was  out,  when  a  second  party  commenced 
with  the  other  end,  and  started  off  in  a  different  direction. 

Tired  of  remaining  inactive,  Murphy  desired  u.  get  a  nearer 
view  of  the  elephants,  and  requested  my  company.  We  readily 
obtained  permission  of  the  king  to  do  as  we  pleased  ;  and  as  each 
of  us  was  armed  with  a  rifle  and  revolver,  I  did  not  think  there 
was  much  danger.  We  stole  forward,  guided  by  the  loud  trumps 
of  the  mighty  beasts,  and  after  five  minutes'  navigation  through 
thickets  and  forests  of  trees,  got  sight  of  the  animals ;  and  the 
view  amply  repaid  us  for  our  trouble,  for  we  saw  twenty  ele- 
phants browsing  upon  the  branches  of  trees,  which  they  bent  to 
the  earth  with  their  trunks,  and  held  until  the  tender  shoots  and 
buds  were  nibbled  off.  They  were  of  all  sizes,  from  the  full- 
grown  elephant  with  tushes  five  feet  long,  to  the  yearling  just 
cutting  its  teeth. 


AN  ELEPHANT  CHARGE.  47 

The  rogues  were  entirely  unconscious  of  our  presence,  and 
would  have  remained  so  had  not  the  devil  possessed  the  captain 
to  try  his  hand  at  a  shot.  I  sought  to  reason  him  out  of  his  freak, 
but  he  would  not  listen  to  my  suggestions,  and  swore  a  great 
oath  that  he  would  kill  one  at  fifty  yards,  or  he  would  never  take 
a  rifle  in  his  hand  again.  Murphy  picked  out  the  largest  and 
probably  the  ugliest  brute  in  the  herd,  and  after  a  deliberate  aim, 
fired.  The  ball  took  effect  in  the  side  of  the  animal,  where  it  had 
no  more  effect  than  to  render  the  old  fellow  furious  with  pain ; 
and  with  a  shrill  trump  he  raised  his  trunk,  snuffed  the  air  for  a 
moment,  and  then  charged  towards  the  very  spot  where  we  were 
secreted.  I  sprang  to  my  feet,  and  shouted  to  the  captain. 

"  Run,"  I  said,  "  or  you  will  be  trampled  to  death  in  an  in- 
stant." 

"  Run  be  hanged  ! '"  replied  Murphy  ;  "  he's  going  to  drop  dead 
in  a  minute." 

"  He  has  no  such  intention,"  I  answered.  "  Follow  me,  or  we 
shall  both  be  killed." 

"  I  tell  you  that  he's  as  dead  as  a  marine.  I  hit  him  near  his 
flipper.  See  him  bleed." 

"  Yes ;  and  see  him  coming  towarda  us  under  a  full  press  of 
sail,"  I  replied,  as  I  bounded  towards  the  place  where  the  natives 
were  at  work. 

As  I  ran,  I  looked  over  my  shoulder  and  saw  that  Murphy  was 
laboring  along  after  me,  like  a  Dutch  galliot  in  a  heavy  head  sea. 
But  it  was  not  an  easy  thing  to  make  good  time  where  the  under- 
brush was  thick  and  the  vines  strong,  and  before  I  had  got  ten 
fathoms,  I  heard  Murphy  roar  out  for  me  to  heave  to  and  wait 
for  him. 

"  Darn  it,  man,"  puffed  the  captain,  making  almost  as  mnch 
noise  as  the  elephant,  "  can't  you  render  a  little  assistance  to  a 
friend  in  distress?" 

"  Run,  captain  ;  'tis  your  only  chance,"  I  replied,  still  making 
rapid  tracks  for  the  nearest  clearing. 

"  It's  all  very  well  to  say  run  when  a  man  don't  carry  a  pound 
of  flesh  upon  his  bones  ;  but  I  can't,  and  blow  me  if  I  will ;  that's 
flat.  Here's  for  a  standing  fight,  for  I  can't  run  any  farther." 

I  stopped  for  a  moment,  and  saw,  to  my  horror,  that  the  captain, 
completely  blown  by  the  amount  of  sail  which  he  had  carried,  was 
incapable  of  proceeding  farther,  and  was  making  desperate  at- 
tempts to  climb  a  tree. 


48  A  SLAVER'S  AD  VENTURES. 

When  I  turned,  it  was  with  the  most  confident  expectation  that 
the  captain  would  be  trampled  to  death  in  a  minute's  time  ;  but 
the  old  salt  had  no  such  anticipations,  for  when  the  elephant  got 
within  boarding  distance,  the  captain  kept  the  tree  between  him- 
self and  his  enemy,  and  every  movement  was  watched  with  keen 
eyes.  The  elephant  charged  around  the  tree,  but  the  captain 
managed  to  keep  just  such  a  distance  from  him,  and  also  avoided 
the  heavy  blows  from  his  trunk,  which  struck  the  tree  every  few 
minutes  in  a  manner  that  gave  fearful  indications  of  the  brute's 
strength. 

I  attempted  for  some  time  to  get  a  sliot  at  the  elephant,  but  the 
rogue  did  not  raise  his  trunk  sufficiently  high,  and  I  had  been 
told  that  a  ball,  to  have  effect,  must  strike  between  the  shoulders, 
just  below  the  head  ;  and  while  I  was  seeking  for  a  chance  to 
fire,  the  captain  roared  out  at  my  delay. 

"  Hang  it,  Mr.  Robert,  are  you  going  to  let  this  brute  eat  me 
alive,  or  grind  my  bones  to  a  jelly  as  thick  as  lobscouse.  Fire, 
in  the  devil's  name,  for  the  fellow's  trunk  is  flying  around  my 
head  like  a  boatswain's  cat  after  a  liberty  day  on  shore." 

Thus  appealed  to,  I  moved  a  few  feet  nearer  the  principal 
actors ;  and  as  I  did  so,  the  elephant  caught  a  glimpse  of  me, 
apparently  for  the  first  time.  With  a  shrill  trump  of  rage  he 
charged  towards  me,  his  trunk  well  up  as  though  to  crush  me  at 
a  blow.  I  calmly  awaited  his  onset,  and  when  he  was  within 
two  fathoms,  raised  my  rifle  and  fired.  The  next  instant  I 
had  dropped  my  weapon  and  sprang  behind  a  tree  of  large  size, 
from  which  place  I  ventured  to  survey  the  field.  The  elephant 
had  charged  past  the  spot  where  I  stood,  like  a  whirlwind,  pros- 
trating half  a  dozen  young  trees  in  his  course,  and  levelling  every 
bush  that  stood  in  his  way. 

I  hoped  that  the  old  rogue  would  keep  on  and  leave  me,  but  he 
was  not  disposed  to  do  any  such  thing.  Hfe  soon  found  that  he 
had  missed  his  mark,  and  with  another  trump  that  was  not  cal- 
culated to  allay  alarm,  he  tacked  ship  and  steered  direct  for  the 
tree  whose  protection  I  had  sought.  I  looked  around  for  the 
captain,  but  he  had  vacated  the  place  he  occupied  with  so  much 
honor  to  himself  and  confusion  to  the  elephant,  and  supposed 
that  he  had  made  the  best  of  his  way  towards  the  natives ;  but  I 
was  disappointed,  for  I  heard  him  hail,  and  his  voice  proceeded 
from  the  top  of  a  tall  tree  where  he  had  sought  refuge. 


A   BLOCKADE.  49 

"  Mr.  Robert,"  he  said,  "  why  in  the  devil's  name  don't  you 
run  before  the  wind  like  me  ?  " 

"  Because  I'm  blockaded,"  I  answered,  rather  snappishly. 

u  Run  the  blockade,  then,"  he  shouted ;  but  I  did  not  think 
his  advice  of  much  account,  when  my  enemy  was  capable  of  tak- 
ing two  steps  to  my  one. 

While  I  was  thus  having  a  little  free  conversation  with  my 
friend  the  captain,  the  elephant  had  stopped,  confused  by  the  sound 
of  voices,  and  somewhat  uncertain  which  way  to  proceed.  I 
took  good  care  not  to  expose  myself  to  his  view,  for  I  hoped  that 
he  would  rejoin  the  herd  and  leave  us  in  peace  ;  but  I  was  disap- 
pointed, for  the  old  rogue  snuffed  the  air  like  a  war-horse, 
discovered  my  position,  and  on  he  came  wi|h  a  succession  of 
trumps  which  sounded  like  a  six-pound  gun  battery. 

I  had  nothing  but  my  revolver  to  depend  upon,  for  I  had  thrown 
my  rifle  away  in  my  flight.  I  recollect  of  hearing  the  captain 
shout,  u  Run,  Mr.  Robert,  run  ! "  as  the  elephant  came  on  ;  but  I 
was  not  in  a  position  to  take  his  advice.  I  waited  until  the  old 
rogue  was  within  a  fathom  of  me,  and  then  took  aim  and  poured 
in  two  shots  as  quick  as  possible,  and  ran  to  the  next  tree,  the 
captain  shouting  in  true  nautical  style,  u  Steady  as  you  go," 
when  he  saw  me  depend  upon  my  legs  for  safety.  o^i 

When  I  gained  the  tree  that  I  started  for,  I  turned  and  looked 
back,  and  was  astonished  to  find  that  my  enemy  had  got  -some- 
what confused  by  the  last  two  shots,  and  imagined  that  Murphy 
was  the  one  to  blame  for  his  suffering ;  and  to  my  great  joy  the 
brute  was  at  the  foot  of  the  tree,  and  looking  up  to  the  branches, 
as  though  desiring  a  little  private  conversation  with  the  person 
who  was  roosting  there.  As  Murphy  declined  to  come  down 
voluntarily,  the  elephant  sought  to  shake  him  down,  and  every 
time  the  brute  rubbed  its  side  against  the  tree,  it  trembled  as 
though  laboring  in  a  gale  of  wind. 

While  this  was  going  on,  I  again  obtained  possession  of  my 
rifle,  and  loaded  it  with  a  double  charge  of  powder  and  three 
slugs.  Then  creeping  under  the  shade  of  some  bushes,  I  obtained 
a  good  position,  and  put  the  rifle  within  ten  feet  of  the  elephant's 
throat.  The  instant  the  rogue  saw  me  I  fired,  and  the  lead  went 
home ;  for  with  a  stagger  and  a  grunt,  the  huge  monster  sank 
upon  his  knees,  made  an  effort  to  rise,  was  unsuccessful,  and  then 
rolled  over  on  his  side  and  breathed  his  last. 


50-  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

The  captain  soon  reached  terra  firma,  and  was  warm  in  his 
congratulations.  While  we  were  carefully  examining  the  car- 
cass, half  a  dozen  natives  arrived  to  discover  what  we  were 
doing,  the  king  having  heard  the  firing,  and  feeling  somewhat  un- 
easy at  our  absence.  We  could  not  comprehend  their  words,  but 
their  gestures  showed  the  most  extraordinary  astonishment  at  the 
death  of  the  elephant.  They  were  not  accustomed  to  kill  them 
in  a  bold,  fair  manner ;  and  they  would  not  believe  but  that  we 
had  poisoned  them  with  bananas,  or  with  some  powerful  drug. 
When  they  shook  their  heads  Murphy  swore  that  he  would  thrash 
them  if  they  ventured  to  doubt  again  ;  and  it  is  probable  that  they 
understood  the  hint,  for  if  they  did  venture  to  do  such  a  thing 
they  did  not  mauiljpst  it  by  words  or  signs. 

The  natives  considered  the  matter  of  so  much  importance  that 
one  of  them  started  off  to  find  the  king  and  bring  him  to  the  spot, 
and  when  his  majesty  arrived  he  too  was  astonishe/l,  but  it  was 
of  the  selfish  kind.  He  spoke  to  Criugy,  and  the  latter  interpreted 
as  usual. 

"  De  king  says  dat  you  have  done  well,"  said  Cringy,  "  and 
dat  you  deserve  a  reward  for  killing  de  elephant.  He  let  you 
hab  one  of  de  tushes,  and  he  keep  tudder.  Dat  berry  kind  of  him." 

The  proposition  was  one  that  I  could  not  reject,  much  as  I 
should  have  cared  to,  for  I  wanted  to  retain  the  tusks  as  trophies. 

As'the  king  had  waited  some  time  for  us,  he  now  gave  orders 
that  the  herd  should  be  driven  towards  the  pen,  which  was  built 
just  at  the  edge  of  the  woods,  and  which  had  been  used  several 
times  before  for  capturing  the  brutes.  As  soon  as  this  order  was 
passed,  the  vines  which  I  have  before  alluded  to  were  fastened 
to  the  trees,  clearing  the  ground  about  four  feet.  Then  the 
Africans  armed  themselves  with  conchs  and  noisy  reeds,  and 
commenced  the  most  fearful  din  that  mortal  ever  listened  to.  The 
effect  was  instantaneous.  The  elephants,  which  were  scattered  in 
various  parts  of  the  wood,  set  up  a  loud  trump,  and  sought  to  es- 
cape from  such  unpleasant  companions.  They  came  tearing  to- 
wards us  at  a  tremendous  rate ;  but  upon  reaching  the  vines  they 
halted  suddenly,  snuffed  the  offensive  matter  with  a  snort  of  deep 
disgust,  and  then  turned  tail  without  seeking  to  break  through, 
which  they  could  have  done  without  the  least  effort  on  their  part. 

"  Come,"  cried  Cringy,  "  we  go  get  up  tree  dat  overlook  do 
pen,  and  see  'em  go  in.  No  use  staying  here." 


SLAUGHTER  OF  ELEPHANTS.  51 

Leaving  the  black  monarch  to  continue  his  directions,  we  ran 
quickly  to  the  spot  indicated,  and  mounted  a  tree  that  seemed  to 
have  been  used  frequently  for  the  purpose  of  overlooking  the  pen. 
Hardly  had  we  secured  a  comfortable  seat,  when  the  whole  herd 
of  elephants  came  tearing  towards  the  trap,  their  trunks  well  up, 
and  offering  the  prettiest  shot  for  a  marksman  that  I  ever  saw. 
The  herd  caught  a  glimpse  of  the  opening,  and  saw  that  it  was 
not  guarded  by  the  obnoxious  vines.  Then  they  charged  towards 
the  pen,  and  a  struggle  ensued  as  to  which  should  first  enter. 

A  loud  shout  was  heard  in  the  woods,  and  a  fresh  blast  of  the 
reeds  and  blowing  of  the  conchs.  The  elephants  made  a  desperate 
struggle,  and  the  foremost  ones  entered  the  enclosure,  thus  clear- 
ing the  way  for  the  others ;  and  in  a  few  seconds  the  whole  herd 
were  safe  within  the  pen,  and  their  escape  impossible.  The 
natives  then  came  from  the  woods,  and  piled  up  trees  and 
branches  in  the  opening,  and  their  victory  was  complete. 

Previous  to  the  entrance  of  the  brutes,  the  natives  had  scattered 
their  poisoned  bananas  on  the  enclosure,  and  as  soon  as  the  ani- 
mals found  that  their  retreat  was  cut  off,  they  commenced  feeding 
upon  them ;  but  half  an  hour  elapsed  before  the  effect  of  the 
poison  was  perceptible.  Then  they  staggered  and  reeled  like 
drunken  men,  and  the  massacre  commenced.  The  Africans 
climbed  the~trees  which  surrounded  the  pen,  and  showered  down 
spear  after  spear,  with  wonderful  precision,  upon  the  defenceless 
brutes ;  and  as  every  spear  penetrated  the  body  of  the  monsters 
and  remained  sticking  in  the  flesh,  they  soon  resembled  gigantic 
pin-cushions.  Blood  flowed  in  torrents ;  but  this  only  increased 
the  ferocity  of  the  Africans,  and  they  shouted  in  triumph  every 
time  that  a  spear  penetrated  farther  than  usual. 

One  by  one  the  poor  brutes  sank  down  exhaused,  and  died  with 
hardly  a  struggle ;  but  even  after  death  the  natives  were  not 
content  with  their  work,  but  continued  to  hurl  spears  until  they 
were  overpowered  by  fatigue,  and  compelled  to  desist.  Then  the 
entrance  to  the  pen  was  cleared  of  obstructions,  and  the  Afri- 
cans rushed  in  to  despoil  the  dead  elephants  of  their  tusks,  for 
which  all  this  slaughter  had  taken  place.  Disgusted  with  the 
African  method  of  hunting,  I  left  the  tree,  and  was  met  by  the 
king,  who  inquired  how  we  liked  the  sport,  but  what  answer 
Cringy  returned  I  am  unable  to  say.  My  reply  was  not  compli- 
mentary, and  I  think  that  Murphy  swore  a  little  at  what  he 
called  black  cruelty. 


52  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

WE   SAIL,  AND  MEET   AN  OLD   ACQUAINTANCE.  —  A   STERN   CHASE. 
—  A   TARN.  —  A  TERRIBLE  PROPOSITION.  —  AN   ESCAPE. 

WHEN  we  reached  the  town  the  king  took  an  affectionate  leave 
of  us,  as  we  persisted  in  our  determination  to  return  to  the  Co- 
quette that  night.  He  promised,  if  we  would  visit  him  again, 
to  make  an  excursion  and  foray  to  some  of  the  neighboring  tribes, 
and  show  us  how  his  Amazons  could  fight,  during  a  battle,  and 
we  expressed  due  gratitude  for  the  invitation,  and  a  hope  that  we 
should  live  long  enough  to  see  his  body-guard  under  fire. 

Our  return  to  the  Gabun  was  rapid,  and  we  got  sight  of  the 
Coquette  before  sundown.  To  our  great  surprise  and  joy,  we  saw 
that  the  Serpent  had  left  her  anchorage,  and  our  hope  was,  that 
she  had  left  the  coast.  Before  we  gained  the  side  of  the  Coquette, 
we  saw  Ruez,  and  Murphy  hailed  him. 

"  Where  is  that  bloody  old  Englishman  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  Gone,"  replied  the  Portuguese,  waving  his  hat  with  joy. 

"  And  I  hab  but  five  dollar  in  pilotage  fees,"  muttered  Cringy, 
with  rueful  looks. 

"  Cheer  up,  old  feller,"  replied  Murphy.  "  We  have  now  a 
clear  field,  and  if  you  put  three  hundred  lively  niggers  on  board 
of  the  Coquette  to-morrow,  five  dollars  shan't  make  you  miser- 
able." 

This  appeared  to  satisfy  old  Cringy,  and  the  next  instant  we 
were  alongside,  and  learned  from  Ruez  that  the  night  before, 
the  Serpent  had  got  underweigh  unexpectedly,  and  stood  out  to 
sea.  The  supercargo  had  improved  the  opportunity,  and  got  the 
guns  up,  and  had  already  laid  the  slave  deck,  and  we  were  then 
ready  to  receive  our  cargo  as  quick  as  it  arrived. 

Instantly  Cringy  was  all  animation.  He  went  on  shore  and 
despatched  twenty  of  the  largest  canoes  up  the  river  for  the  slaves 
at  King  George's  Town,  and  promised  that  they  should  be  on 
board  by  noon  the  next  day ;  and  he  was  up  to  his  word,  for  by 
eleven  o'clock  the  fleet  of  canoes  hove  in  sight,  with  just  the 
number  we  wanted  for  a  cargo.  The  negroes  were  received 


SAIL,  HO!  53 

on  the  schooner's  deck  in  gangs  of  ten,  and  then  transferred 
to  the  hold,  where  they  were  placed  in  sitting  positions, 
ranged  in  long  lines,  and  shackled  to  iron  rods  which  were 
firmly  secured  to  the  schooner's  beams.  In  this  manner  not 
an  inch  of  spare  room  was  •  wasted,  but  the  uncomfortable 
and  confined  position  of  the  slaves  can  be  imagined.  By  six 
o'clock  all  the  negroes  were  on  board ;  the  grated  hatches,  by 
which  the  slaves  received  light  and  air,  were  on  and  secured,  and 
the  Coquette  was  ready  for  sea.  The  business  with  Cringy  had 
been  settled  during  the  afternoon,  and  a  promise  made  to  sup- 
ply us  with  another  cargo  six  months  hence,  at  the  regular 
rates.  As  soon,  therefore,  as  we  had  eaten  supper,  the  order 
was  passed  to  "  up  anchor,"  and  with  a  light  land  breeze,  we 
crossed  the  bar  and  shaped  our  course  for  Cuba. 

Wine  was  brought  to  the  quarter-deck,  and  Murphy  and  Ruez 
drank  success  to  the  voyage.  While  this  revelry  was  going  on, 
one  of  the  men  startled  us  by  the  cry  of,  — 

"  Sail,  ho ! " 

Murphy  dashed  the  ^lass,  which  he  was  about  raising  to  his 
lips>  overboard,  and  sprang  to  the  spot  where  the  alarm  was 
given. 

"  Where  away?"  he  asked,  eagerly.    . 

"  Off  our  starboard  quarter,  sir ;  just  in  the  wake  of  the  moon," 
replied  the  man,  pointing  with  his  fingers  in  the  direction  in- 
dicated. 

The  captain  levelled  his  spy-glass,  and  looked  long  and  anxious- 
ly at  the  stranger,  and  without  speaking  a  word,  handed  me  his 
glass.  No  sooner  had  I  glanced  through  it,  than  I  recognized  the 
low,  heavy  hull  of  the  Serpent. 

"  Well,"  asked  the  captain,  as  I  drew  a  long  breath,  "  what 
do  you  think  of  her?" 

^  It  is  the  Serpent,"  I  answered,  as  calmly  as  I  could. 

"  I  know  it.     Throw  the  log,  and  see  how  fast  we  are  moving." 

I  threw  the  log,  and  found  tbat  we  were  making  nine  knots, 
large. 

u  We  merely  hold  our  own  on  this  point  of  sailing,"  Murphy 
muttered,  with  another  glance  at  the  Englishman.  "  Were  we 
on  the  wind  we  should  leave  him,  I  think." 

"  The  Serpent  is  reported  to  be  the  smartest  sloop  of  war  in 
the  English  navy,"  I  said. 


54 

"  I  know  it,  and  she  will  have  to  show  her  heels  most  effectual- 
ly to  overhaul  us.  She  is  now  about  five  miles  astern,  and  if  it 
was  not  for  this  cursed  moon  we  could  give  her  the  slip  without 
trouble.  Thank  fortune,  he  can't  use  his  bow  chasers  at  this 
distance,  and  if  the  worse  comes  to  the  worse,  we  can  give  shot 
for  shot.  I  once  escaped  by  means  of  a  long  Tom,"  Murphy 
said,  after  a  few  minutes'  silence.  u  I  was  within  two  days'  sail 
of  the  coast  of  Cuba,  with  five  hundred  blackbirds  on  board, 
when  an  inquisitive  Englishman  gave  chase.  He  fired  two  or 
three  shots,  and  I  ran  up  Yankee  colors,  but  it  made  no  differ- 
ence. He  was  bound  to  board  us,  and  as  his  ship  sailed  faster 
than  my  brig,  there  was  a  smart  chance  that  he  would  succeed. 
His  bow  chasers  were  making  a  little  extra  work  for  the  carpenter 
by  splintering  our  spars,  and  as  a  last  resort,  I  determined  to 
return  shot  for  shot.  I  got  the  midship  gun  ready,  and  pointed 
it  with  my  own  hands.  The  first  shot  carried  away  the  English- 
man's fore-topmast,  close  by  the  cap.  That  riled  him  amazing- 
ly, and  he  hammered  at  me  in  double  quick  time,  cutting  holes  in 
my  sails  and  bringing  some  of  them  down  by  the  run.  My 
fourth  shot  took  his  main-topmast,  and  with  it  all  the  top-hamper, 
studding-sails,  and  royal,  and  top-gallant  sails,  and  over  the  side 
they  went,  with  a  dozen  or  twenty  topmen,  who  were  wetting  the 
sails  to  make  them  hold  wind.  It  was  a  saucy  trick,  but  it  suc- 
ceeded." 

"  And  you  escaped?"  I  asked. 

"  Certainly  —  but  it  cost  me  the  brig,  for  the  cuss  repaired 
damages,  and  followed  close  on  to  my  heels  to  the  south  side  of 
Cuba ;  and  by  the  time  I  had  landed  my  niggers,  he  was  off  the. 
port  as  good  as  new,  and  all  was  ready  to  send  his  boats  in  to  cut 
me  out.  But  I  foiled  him  there,  for  I  set  fire  to  the  brig  and 
burned  her  to  the  water's  edge." 

"  The  profits  of  that  voyage,  must  have  been  small,"  I  .re- 
marked. 

"  We  cleared  over  one  hundred  thousand  dollars,  and  then  had 
enough  left  to  build  this  schooner  and  fit  her  out.  But  while  we 
are  talking  the  Serpent  is  gaining  on  us,  or  else  I  am  deceived 
very  much." 

The  captain  spoke  truly.  The  Serpent  was  one  complete  mass 
of  canvas,  and  looked,  in  the  clear  moonlight,  like  an  iceberg 
drifting  towards  tropical  climes.  The  schooner  was  carrying  all 


A   DEAD    CALM.  55 

the  sail  that  she  was  designed  to  carry  before  the  wind,  but  not 
in  proportion  to  the  ship,  and  we  were  now  driven  to  the  ex- 
pediency of  inventing  methods  of  urging  the  Coquette  through  the 
water  at  a  faster  rate.  We  took  a  flying-jib-boom,  run  a  rope 
through  the  shive  hole,  and  lashed  it  to  our  main  boom,  so 
as  to  project  about  twenty  feet  beyond  the  schooner's  taffrail. 
Then  we  rove  halyards  and  bent  on  a  spare  jib,  and  hoisted 
it  to  the  gaff,  trimmed  aft  our  sheet,  and  had  a  new  sail 
that  pulled  like  a  pony  team.  The  Coquette  felt  the  in- 
fluence, and  for  a  short  time  I  thought  that  we  held  our  own 
with  the  ship ;  but  the  hope  was  delusive,  and  other  resorts  were 
thought  of  and  adopted.  We  rigged  whips  at  the  mast-heads, 
and  dashed  every  sail  with  water,  from  the  royal  to  the  huge 
square-sail ;  and  the  result  justified  our  expectations,  for  the  can- 
vas shrunk  and  held  every  breath  of  air  that  passed,  and  to 
our  extreme  satisfaction,  we  found  that  the  Serpent  no  longer 
gained  on  us.  Our  triumph  was  a  short  one,  for  the  wind 
gradually  left  us,  and  the  sails  flapped  idly  against  the  masts,  or 
hung  in  wrinkles  from  the  booms,  while,  to  add  to  our  mortifica- 
tion, the  Serpent  still  continued  to  forge  ahead,  and  evidently 
was  bringing  a  breeze  with  her. 

44  God  has  deserted  us,"  muttered  Murphy. 

"  That  is  the  last  name  that  I  should  have  -expected  to  hear 
you  utter,"  I  remarked,  in  astonishment. 

"  Why  ?  "  he  replied,  with  some  excitement ;  "  do  you  think  that 
because  I  am  engaged  in  the  slave  trade,  I  have  no  feeling  of 
reverence  for  the  Supreme  Being?  There  are  worse  trades  than 
the  slave  trade.  But  see  that  blasted  ship  —  how  she  is  gaining 
on  us !  " 

The  captain's  Christianity  vanished  with  an  oath. 

41  There  is  not  a  breath  of  wind,"  muttered  Murphy,  u  and  I 
am  fearful  that  we  shan't  have  any  to-night.  If  the  sloop  should 
take  a  fancy  to  get  her  boats  out  we  might  have  a  little  brush." 

44  He  has  got  his  boats  out,  I  believe,"  I  said,  after  a  brief 
scrutiny  through  the  glass  while  the  captain  was  talking. 

Murphy  snatched  the  glass  from  my  hand,  and  looked  long  and 
earnestly. 

44  By  the  piper  that  played  before  Moses,  they  are  coming 
towards  us,  and  intend  to  carry  the  Coquette  by  boarding.  Call 
the  hands  up  and  load  the  guns,  and  see  that  Long  Tom  has  a 


56  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

double  charge.  But  never  mind  ;  I  will  load  that  gun  myself,  and 
try  the  effect  of  a  long  shot." 

The  boats  from  the  sloop  of  war,  four  in  number,  began  to 
spread  out  as  they  advanced  towards  us,  in  the  shape  of  a  fan, 
for  the  purpose  of  distracting  our  fire,  if  we  were  disposed  to 
resist. 

"  Where  is  Ruez?  "  asked  Murphy,  after  the  guns  were  loaded. 

"  He  is  still  in  the  cabin,  swigging  at  the  wine,"  I  replied. 

"  He  is  a  shrewd  manager,  but  not  fighter,  as  you  shall  see  be- 
fore we  get  out  of  this  brush." 

But  while  Murphy  was  talking,  to  my  surprise,  Ruez  left  his 
bottle,  staggered  on  deck,  and  approaching  the  captain,  spoke 
in  the  Portuguese  language,  which  fortunately  I  understood. 

44  We  shall  be  taken,"  Ruez  said,  "  and  condemned,  unless  we 
do  the  old  trick.  Time  enough  —  if  you  say  so." 

"  There  is  not  time  enough,"  replied  Murphy,  sternly.  u  Even 
if  there  was,  I  will  not  sacrifice  the  niggers  in  that  manner. 

The  Portuguese  staggered  back  to  the  cabin,  and  I  saw  no 
more  of  him  until  morning. 

"  Do  you  know  what  he  wanted  me  to  do  ?  "  inquired  Murphy, 
turning  to  where  I  stood. 

"  No." 

"  He  wanted  to  destroy  all  evidence  of  our  being  a  slaver,"  the 
captain  said,  sinking  his  voice  to  a  whisper. 

"For  Heaven's  sake,  in  what  manner?"  I  asked. 

"  There  is  but  one  way,"  the  captain  replied,  pointing  to  the 
water,  with  a  grim  smile. 

"  Drown  them  !  "  I  exclaimed,  horrified  at  the  idea. 

The  captain  nodded. 

"  But  you  would  not  commit  such  a  wicked  and  cruel  act  ?  "  I 
asked. 

"  No,  I  will  sooner  run  the  risk  of  capture,  and  trial.  I  once 
saw  it  resorted  to,  and  it  was  successful  in  saving  the  schooner  ; 
but  it  was  at  the  expense  of  three  hundred  niggers,  every  one 
of  whom  was  thrown  overboard  with  ten  pound  of  shot  at  his 
feet.  It  was  blowing  fresh  at  the  time,  and  no  sooner  did  the 
wretches  touch  the  water  than  they  went  under.  The  slave  deck 
followed,  and  when  we  were  overhauled  and  compelled  to  run 
under  the  guns  of  a  sloop  of  war,  there  was  nothing  on  board 
that  could  condemn  us." 


A   SHARP   BRUSH.  57 

While  the  captain  was  relating  the  above  incident  of  slaver  life, 
the  boats  from  the  ship  were  slowly  approaching  us.  The  crew 
thinking  that  Murphy  was  inclined  to  surrender  without  striking 
a  blow,  began  to  grumble. 

"  The  old  man  has  lost  his  spunk ;  he  isn't  the  skipper  that  he 
was  five  years  since,  when  I  first  knew  him.  There  was  a  time 
when  the  boats  of  a  bloody  Englishman  would  not  have  dared  to 
approach  us  like  these,"  and  other  words  of  like  effect. 

Murphy  heard  them,  as  it  was  intended  that  he  should,  and  his 
eyes  lighted  up  like  those  of  a  tiger,  when  it  hears  the  step  of  a 
hunter. 

"  They  think  that  I  won't  fight,"  he  said,  in  a  whisper,  "  but  I 
will  soon  give  them  a  lesson.  The  boats  are  now  within  half  a 
mile  of  us,  and  can  be  reached  by  our  guns.  I  was  in  hopes  to 
prevent  the  flow  of  blood,  for  I  see  a  wind  bank  rising  in  the 
westward,  and  if  we  could  get  a  few  puffs  we  should  soon  be  be- 
yond the  reach  of  the  boats  and  their  crews." 

He  turned  to  his  men,  and  with  a  word  stopped  their  growling. 
He  sprang  from  the  quarter-deck,  and  with  a  handspike  pointed 
the  long  midship  gun  in  the  direction  of  the  boat  that  was  ap- 
proaching us  off  the  starboard  bow.  Just  at  that  moment  the 
man-of-war's  men  cheered,  and  bent  to  their  oars  most  lustily. 
Murphy  squinted  along  the  gun  for  the  purpose  of  taking  a  good 
aim. 

"  Fire  !  "  he  cried,  suddenly ;  and  as  he  spoke  the  schooner 
shook  from  stem  to  stern  by  the  concussion. 

I  saw  the  ball  touch  the  top  of  a  long  swell,  and  then  shatter 
the  boat  as  though  it  had  been  made  of  paper.  The  cutter  that 
was  nearest  to  the  one  injured  hastened  to  its  relief,  but  the  other 
two  continued  to  come  on  as  though  determined  to  revenge  the 
insult.  Just  at  that  moment  a  light  breeze  rippled  over  the  wa- 
ter and  filled  our  sails. 

"  The  schooner  has  steerage  rig,"  I  said.  "  Perhaps  we  can 
escape  even  now,  and  save  human  blood." 

"  You  are  right,"  the  captain  replied.  "  Secure  the  gun,  some 
of  you,  and  the  others  trim  the  sails." 

The  ship  had  not  caught  the  catspaw  that  filled  our  sails, 
so  we  had  an  advantage,  and  were  eager  enough  to  keep  it. 
We  saw  that  the  boats  no  longer  gained  on  us,  and  that  the  Co- 
quette was  moving  through  the  water  at  the  rate  of  about  five 


58  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

knots  per  hour,  and  that  the  wind  was  constantly  increasing,  al- 
though the  only  place  that  it  came  from  was  a  large  white  cloud, 
which  had  been  rolling  over  in  the  direction  of  the  land,  and 
which  seemed  to  increase  in  volume  as  it  approached  us. 

"  In  with  the  square  sails  and  all  the  light  kites,"  the  captain 
said,  as  soon  as  the  guns  were  secured.  "  Work  lively,  men,  for 
there  is  no  time  to  lose.  Clew  down  and  clew  up/' 

Murphy  cast  anxious  and  hurried  glances  to  the  windward,  aa 
though  speculating  regarding  the  weather. 

"  We  shall  catch  it  in  a  few  minutes,"  he  said  ;  "  and  when  it 
does  arrive  it  will  come  butt  end  foremost,  like  a  nigger  in  a  fight. 
See  everything  ready  for  letting  go  with  a  run,  for  a  moment's 
delay  may  ruin  us." 

"  Are  you  afraid  of  that  white  cloud?  "  I  asked. 

"  Yes  ;  and  let  me  tell  you  that  there  is  more  danger  in  those 
white  clouds  than  if  they  were  blacker  than  old  Cringy's  hide ; 
and  if  John  Bull  is  not  careful,  he  will  give  his  carpenters  work 
by  morning.  Ah,  he  has  hoisted  his  boats  up,  and  is  after  us  like 
a  laud  shark  trying  to  collect  a  bad  debt.  The  fool  has  got  every- 
thing spread  like  a  first  class  ball-room  belle." 

He  had  hardly  finished  speaking  when  we  could  see  the  squall 
coming,  raising  a  line  of  white  foam  as  it  advanced,  that  glistened 
in  the  moonlight  like  piles  of  silver. 

"  Let  go  everything  by  the  run,  down  with  the  foresail  and 
mainsail,  and  secure  them  with  stops.  Work  lively,  men,  for 
now  is  our  chance." 

The  sails  came  fluttering  to  the  deck,  when  they  were  secured 
by  gaskets ;  but,  before  the  men  had  completed  their  work,  the 
squall  struck  us  upon  our  beam,  and  nearly  buried  us  beneath  the 
water  and  foam  that  flew  over  the  deck. 

"  Hard  up !  "  yelled  Murphy ;  and  after  a  struggle  the  helm 
was  obeyed,  and  the  Coquette  flew  before  the  wind  like  -a  bird  on 
the  wing. 

For  a  few  minutes  we  could  only  hold  on  to  the  rigging,  and 
save  ourselves  from  being  washed  overboard  by  the  waves,  which 
were  lifted  by  the  gale  and  dashed  upon  the  deck,  frightening  the 
negroes  who  were  confined  in  the  hold,  and  causing  them  to  utter 
the  most  frantic  yells.  But  as  the  Coquette  got  before  the  wind 
and  minded  her  helm,  we  began  to  look  around  to  see  how  much 
damage  we  had  sustained.  Luckily  for  us,  the  squall  had  struck 


A   HEAVY   SQUALL.  59 

us  under  bare  poles.  We  found  that  we  had  sustained  but  little 
damage,  besides  the  loss  of  a  top-gallant  mast,  which  we  could 
repair  in  an  hour's  time ;  and  after  we  had  satisfied  ourselves 
on  that  point,  we  turned  to  have  a  look  at  the  Serpent,  which 
we  had  last  seen  with  all  sail  set  close  upon  our  heels.  By  our 
course  we  found  that  we  were  close  on  her ;  but  she  was  no 
longer  to  be  feared  as  far  as  pursuit  was  concerned,  for  all 
three  topmasts  were  gone  close  to  the  caps,  and  were  in  a  con- 
fused mass  alongside.  We  could  see  the  officers  of  the  ship  on 
the  quarter-deck  looking  at  us,  but  even  had  they  been  so  inclined, 
they  could  not  have  fired  a  shot,  owing  to  the  elevation  of  their 
Veather  guns. 

In  an  hour's  time  the  Serpent  was  out  of  sight ;  and.  then,  as 
the  wind  moderated  a  little,  we  altered  our  course,  and  made 
sail  for  the  port  of  our  destination.  We  secured  the  guns  for  the 
night,  tried  the  pumps,  and  were  rejoiced  to  find  that  the  schooner, 
in  spite  of  the  immense  strain  to  which  she  had  been  subjected 
during  the  squall,  was  perfectly  tight  and  uninjured. 

The  next  difficult  thing  that  we  had  to  contend  with  was  to 
quiet  the  slaves,  who  still  continued  to  utter  shrill  yells,  as  though 
they  expected  death  every  moment.  The  poor  wretches  were 
terribly  sick,  and  it  is  no  wonder  that  they  were  alarmed,  when  it 
is  considered  that  sea-sickness,  even  with  all  the  comforts  of  an 
attentive  steward,  and  the  resources  of  a  cabin,  is  the  most  dis- 
agreeable feeling  that  can  attack  man  or  woman. 

That  night  I  began  to  comprehend  all  the  mysteries  and  mise- 
ries of  the  slave  trade.  The  stench  that  arose -from  the  hatches 
was  overpowering  and  sickly  in  the  extreme,  and  it  seemed  as 
though  I  should  vomit  every  time  I  inhaled  it.  My  duty,  how- 
ever, led  me  to  look  after  the  comfort  of  the  captives  as  much  as 
possible. 

"  You  will  get  used  to  this  in  time,"  the  captain  said,  when  he 
observed  my  expression  of  disgust.  "  We  haven't  begun  to  get 
it  sweet  yet.  Wait  till  we  have  been  in  hot  weather  two  or 
three  weeks,  and  get  short  of  water.  Then  they  will  smell  loud  ; 
and  if  a  man-of-war  is  six  miles  to  the  leeward  of  us,  the  officers, 
if  old  hands  to  the  African  coast,  can  tell  that  we  have  slaves  on 
board.  All  the  perfume  in  the  city  of  Cologne  could  not  banish 
the  smell." 

My  mind  was  too  much  occupied  with  the,  scenes  through  which 


60  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

I  had  passed  that  night  to  admit  of  sleep,  and  I  was  not  sorry 
o  pace  the  deck,  and  consider  whether  I  should  continue  the 
dangerous  life  I  was  embarked  upon.  I  lighted  a  cigar,  and 
hour  after  hour  thought  of  the  narrow  escape  which  we  met  with, 
and  debated  whether  it  was  worth  the  gold  I  was  to  receive  to 
continue  to  run  such  risks.  I  arrived  at  the  conclusion  that  it 
was  not,  and  if  landed  safe  at  Cuba,  I  would  leave  the  Coquette, 
and  seek  to  gain  an  honest  livelihood  in  other  business. 

When  my  watch  was  out,  I  left  the  deck  in  charge  of  lie 
second  mate,  and  tried  to  sleep,  but  continually  before  my  eyes 
would  rise  the  scenes  through  which  I  had  passed,  and  most  prom- 
inent of  all  was  the  sinking  of  the  boat  and  the  struggling  crew, 
sent  to  Davy  Jones's  locker  when  they  least  expected  death,  and 
were  least  prepared  for  it.  I  was  not  sorry  to  see  daylight,  and 
when  I  went  on  deck  found  that  Murphy  and  Ruez  had  pre- 
ceded me,  and  were  sweeping  the  horizon  with  glasses  to  see  if 
they  could  discover  a  sail,  but  nothing  was  in  sight.  The  ocean 
was  quiet,  and  only  a  light  breeze  rippled  over  the  water,  just  suf- 
ficient to  fill  our  sails,  and  send  us  along  upon  our  course  about 
four  knots  per  hour. 

"  You  are  up  early,"  said  Murphy,  as  T  made  my  appearance. 
"  What  is  the  matter  ?  Did  last  night's  scenes  trouble  your  mind  ?  " 

"  I  have  thought  much  of  last  evening's  doings,"  I  replied, 
"  and  must  confess  that  I'm  not  infatuated  with  the  life  of  a  slaver." 

"  Pshaw,  don't  mind  that ;  think  of  the  money  that  we  should 
have  lost  had  the  Englishman  captured  us,  as  he  intended 
to  do." 

Suddenly  there  was  a  terrible  yell  in  the  hold,  as  though  every 
negro  confined  there  was  determined  to  test  his  lungs,  and  see 
how  muclTnoise  he  could  make. 

"Ah,  that  sounds  lively,"  cried  Murphy,  rubbing  his  hands 
with  a  look  of  real  pleasure. 

"  For  Heaven's  sake  what  amusement  can  you  find  in  that  hor- 
rid discord?  "  I  inquired. 

"  The  certainty  of  hunger,"  was  the  reply.  "  The  rascals  feel 
like  eating  and  drinking,  and  as  long  as  they  continue  in  that 
state,  there  is  no  danger  of  their  committing  suicide." 

As  such  terrible  cries  needed  some  attention,  I  called  the  crew 
up  and  prepared  to  feed  the  slaves,  who  had  eaten  nothing  since 
they  came  on  board.  %  As  feeding  them  was  an  important  part  of 


FEEDING   THE   SLAVES.  61 

a  slaver's  life,  I  will  show  the  reader  how  we  proceeded.  la  the 
first  place,  six  of  the  men  were  armed  with  loaded  muskets  and 
cutlasses,  and  stationed  near  the  hatchway,  with  orders  to  shoot 
the  first  negro  who  mamifested  signs  of  mutiny,  as  they  sometimes 
did,  when  carried  away  by  despair,  or  swayed  by  hunger.  The 
hatches  or  gratings  were  removed,  and  twenty  negroes  allowed  to 
come  on  deck  at  one  time,  for  the  purpose  of  inhaling  fresh  air, 
eating  their  supply  of  rice  and  bread,  and  drinking  a  pint  of  water 
each.  The  latter  article  appeared  to  be  the  one  most  prized,  and 
it  was  wonderful  to  see  how  eagerly  they  clutched  their  share,  and 
swallowed  it  at  a  draught,  and  looked  with  longing  eyes  for  more. 
But  water  was  as  precious  to  us  as  gold,  and  only  the  regular 
allowance  could  be  permitted. 

We  had  one  captive  who  was  a  splendid-looking  fellow,  as 
straight  as  an  arrow,  and  over  six  feet  tall.  He  must  have  pos- 
sessed immense  strength,  for  his  chest  was  broad,  and  the  muscles 
of  his  arms  were  prodigious.  He  had  been  a  chief  in  his  country, 
and  those  who  were  confined  nearest  to  his  person  looked  upon 
him  with  the  most  abject  reverence  ;  and  the  chief  accepted  it,  in 
spite  of  his  fetters,  as  though  heivas  entitled  to  it,  and  born  to 
receive  homage. 

As  a  general  thing  it  is  bad  policy  to  have  a  sulky  and  com- 
plaining slave  on  board.  One  negro  who  continues  to  grumble 
and  fret  will  set  the  others  at  work,  until  they  grow  more  miser- 
able at  each  day's  confinement,  and  lose  all  flesh  and  all  spirit  by 
the  time  the  vessel  has  reached  its  destination. 

Ruez  had  intimated  to  Murphy  that  the  ex-chief  was  not  a 
proper  man  to  receive  on  board,  and  the  captain  knew  as  much  ; 
but  he  was  ambitious  of  taking  to  Cuba  the  best  looking  negro 
who  had  been  landed  for  many  months,  sure  that  he  would  com- 
mand a  large  price  as  a  field  hand  on  a  sugar  plantation. 

When  the  chief's  turn  arrived  to  visit  the  deck,  Murphy  gave 
express  orders  that  he  should  be  treated  with  kindness,  and  that 
It  was  to  be  humored  a  little.  The  man  whose  duty  it  was  to 
remove  the  shackles,  had  no  respect  for  a  negro,  and  disobeyed 
these  commands.  When  the  chief  refused  to  move,  or  remained 
doggedly  quiet,  the  sailor  kicked  him  on  his  ribs,  and  that 
awakened  the  slumbering  devil  in  the  slave's  disposition.  We 
supplied  the  division  to  which  the  chief  belonged  with  fooi  and 
water,  but  all  attempts  to  make  the  huge  negro  eat  were  fruitless. 


62  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

I  reported  to  the  captain  that  the  chief  was  obstinate,  and  Mur- 
phy went  to  see  what  effect  his  words  would  have  upon  his  pet, 
as  he  called  him.  The  captain,  however,  was  no  more  success- 
ful than  the  rest  of  us.  The  negro  was  scornful,  and  pointed, 
as  well  as  his  ironed  hands  would  permit,  to  the  sailor  who  had 
abused  him.  The  captain  misunderstood  the  action,  and  thought 
that  the  slave  refused  to  eat  because  he  was  manacled.  He  or- 
dered that  his  irons  should  be  struck  off,  which  was  done,  and  the 
chief's  countenance  lighted  up  with  an  expression  of  ferocious 
joy  that  was  not  very  inviting  to  look  upon.  He  stretched  out 
his  arms  and  rubbed  the  numbed  flesh,  but  still  he  did  not  mani- 
fest any  signs  of  partaking  of  the  food  which  was  offered  him. 

"  Put  the  fool  below  again,"  said  Murphy,  pettishly. 

The  men  advanced  to  obey  the  order ;  but  before  they  could 
touch  the  negro  he  suddenly  turned,  and  with  a  powerful  blow 
knocked  down  the  man  who  was  nearest,  and  then  with  a  spring 
gained  the  side  of  the  sailor  who  had  kicked  him. 

"  Seize  him ! "  roared  Murphy ;  but  the  order  was  too  late. 
The  men  rushed  towards  the  chief;  but  before  they  could  reach 
him  he  had  wound  his  powerful  arms  around  the  struggling  sailor, 
lifted  him  as  easily  as  though  a  child,  gained  the  bulwarks  of  the 
vessel,  and  plunged  overboard. 

This  was  the  last  we  saw  of  the  chief  and  his  victim.  Both 
sank  and  rose  no  more. 

"  A  thousand  dollars  gone  to  Davy  Jones's  locker,"  muttered 
Murphy,  *'  and  all  owing  to  a  kick.  Well,  it  was  a  dear  one, 
and  I  shall  have  to  make  it  up  by  taking  the  amount  out  of  the 
dead  fool's  wages,  as  I  don't  think  his  heirs  will  make  their  ap- 
pearance to  claim  them." 

Aft^r  that  we  exercised  extra  precautions  against  suicide  ;  for 
if  slaves  once  become  dissatisfied,  and  desire  to  die,  they  will 
strangle  each  other,  or  resort  to  any  means  to  produce  death.  In 
this  respect  they  equal  the  Chinese. 

Day  after  day  passed,  and  at  length  we  neared  Cuba,  the  island 
of  our  destination.  Our  cargo  began  to  show  the  effects  of  close 
confinement,  and  it  was  no  uncommon  thing  to  find  as  many 
as  six  dead  slaves  when  we  took  off  the  hatches  in  the  morning. 
The  living  ones  lost  their  flesh  and  resembled  skeletons,  listless 
and  stupid,  without  any  appearance  of  hope,  or  desire  to  live. 
The  steuch  which  they  emitted  was  terrible,  and  every  day  we 


THE    SIGNALS.  68 

feared  that  a  fever  would  break  out  and  decimate  the  ranks  of 
the  negroes  with  frightful  rapidity.  But  fortune  favored  us  at 
length,  and  we  got  a  slant  of  wind  and  crowded  sail  for  the  little 
port  of  Quitero,  on  the  south  side  of  Cuba,  and  near  two  hundred 
miles  from  Havana. 

As  we  ran  in  towards  the  small  harbor,  night  overtook  us,  so 
it  was  impossible  to  tell  whether  the  coast  was  clear  of  English 
men-of-war,  or  whether  one  was  lurking  in  the  bay.  Still  Mur- 
phy knew  the  port,  and  had  no  hesitation  in  pointing  the  nose  of 
the  Coquette  direct  for  it ;  but  when  we  were  within  a  mile  of  the 
anchorage  we  shortened  sail  and  "  hove  to,"  and  with  our  night 
glasses  endeavored  to  pierce  the  gloom.  Vie  could  see  lights  on 
the  shore,  but  none  on  the  water  ;  but  we  knew  that  it  was  a  trick 
frequently  resorted  to  by  men-of-war  to  keep  dark>  in  hope 
of  drawing  in  slavers,  and  then  *  capturing  them  without  any 
trouble. 

"  We  must  make  our  usual  signal,"  Murphy  said,  turning  to 
Ruez.  i4 1  don't  dare  run  in  until  it  is  answered.  If  the"  agent 
is  not  there,  we  must  wait  until  morning,  and  run  the  risk.  Get 
the  blue  lights,  and  have  them  ready." 

A  package  of  blue  lights  was  brought  on  deck,  and  a  man  sta- 
tioned at  the  bows,  a  second  midship,  and  a  third  on  the  quarter- 
deck, so  that  a  line  of  blue  fire  would  extend  the  whole  length  of 
the  schooner.  The  lights  burned  out,  and  the  darkness  was 
more  intense  than  ever.  We  watched  the  shore  anxiously  for  the 
purpose  of  seeing  if  our  signal  was  answered.  Minute  after 
minute  passed,  and  there  was  no  response. 

"  The  agent  is  not  there,  by  thunder  !  "  muttered  the  captain ; 
but  har.dly  had  he  uttered  the  words  when  a  rocket  flashed  into 
the  air. 

"  That's  one,"  cried  Murphy,  with  an  expression  of  joy. 

Another  rocket,  of  pale  green  stars,  was  thrown  into  the-  air, 
and  then  all  was  quiet  as  before. 

"  That's  two,"  cried  Murphy.  "  The  fellow  is  there,  sure 
enough.  One  more,  and  the  coast  is  clear." 

Five  minutes  elapsed  before  the  third  rocket  was  let  off.  It 
was  a  pale  white  one,  with  but  a  few  stars  of  the  same  color. 

41  Draw  away  the  jib  ;  put  your  helm  up.  The  coast  is  clear, 
and  we  are  safe  at  last,  thank  God." 

When  we  were  within  half  a  mile  of  the  harbor  we  heard  the 


64  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

sound  of  oars,  and  through  the  darkness  could  make  out  a  boat 
approaching  us. 

"  Boat,  ahoy !  "  hailed  Murphy,  in  his  sternest  tones. 
'Amiga*,'*  was  the  response. 

' Buenos"  Murphy  continued. 

"  Noches"  replied  the  speaker  in  the  boat. 

"  It  is  our  agent,"  the  captain  said ;  and  in  the  next  instant 
the  boat  was  alongside,  and  a  Spaniard  sprang  upon  deck,  and 
greeted  the  captain  and  supercargo  most  heartily. 

"The  devil  —  but  I  am  glad  to  see  you,"  Murphy  said.  "I 
feared  that  the  wolves  were  around,  and  that  we  should  have 
trouble  in  landing." 

"  And  so  you  would  yesterday,  but  to-day  the  coast  is  clear  as  a 
priest's  conscience  after  a  fortnight's  fast.  I  have  been  here  a 
week,  and  looked  for  you  every  day.  You  have  come  in  time, 
for  the  price  of  slaves  is  up,  and  none  in  the  market." 

By  daylight  the  slaves  were  on  shore,  and  on  their  way  to  the 
interior,  and  all  evidence  of  slave  traffic  was  also  landed,  and  put 
in  a  place  of  safety. 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE   SERPENT   AGAIN.  —  AN  EXCHANGE  OP  CIVILITIES.  —  HAVANA 

ONCE    MORE. ON    SHORE. — A    DANGEROUS    FLIRTATION,    AND 

WHAT   CAME  OP   IT. 

"  WE  intend  to  run  down  to  Havana,  and  have  a  little  fun  on 
shore  before  we  start  for  another  cruise,"  Murphy  said,  one  day, 
about  a  week  after  our  cargo  was  landed. 

"  I  did  intend  to  quit  the  business,"  I  said,  after  some  hesitancy. 

"  What,  quit  a  trade  that  is  paying  you  five  or  six  thousand 
dollars  per  year?  You  will  do  no  such  thing,  nor  think  of  such  a 
thing,  after  a  week's  run  on  shore.  You  have  seen  only  the  dark 
side  of  a  slaver's  life.  Wait  until  you  see  the  bright  side,  before 
you  make  up  your  mind." 

And  I  listened  to  the  voice  of  the  tempter  and  faltered.  My 
good  resolutions  were  entirely  forgotten,  or  banished  from  my 
mind,  and  I  only  longed  for  the  time  when  I  could  find  some  con- 


AN   IMPERATIVE   ORDER.  65 

eolation  on  shore,  as  a  recompense  for  my  dangerous  and  arduous 
duties. 

Before  we  left  Quitero  we  altered  our  rig  most  materially.  We 
sent  down  our  square  sails  and  yards,  and  made  the  Coquette  a 
regular  fore  and  after.  Then  the  outside  was  altered  —  the  nar- 
row red  ribbon  was  painted  over  with  a  streak  of  white,  and  the 
dark  sides  were  rendered  brighter  by  a  coat  of  green,  which  rather 
spoiled  the  looks  of  the  schooner,  so  even  her  best  friend  would 
not  have  recognized  her  half  a  mile  distant. 

After  our  arrangements  were  completed  we  left  Quitero,  intend- 
ing to  return  to  that  port  again  as  soon  as  we  had  laid  in  a  stock 
of  provisions,  and  once  more  take  on  board  the  spars  and  slave 
deck  which  we  had  left  behind.  We  worked  our  way  steadily 
towards  Havana,  and  when  within  ten  miles  of  Moro  Castle,  our 
old  enemy,  the  Serpent,  was  seen  off  the  port,  standing  off  and  on 
under  easy  sail,  and  evidently  looking  for  us,  for  the  instant  we 
were  discerned  under  the  land,  the  man-of-war  made  sail,  tacked 
ship,  and  stood  towards  us,  luffing  well  up,  so  that  we  could  not 
enter  the  harbor  without  passing  within  range  of  his  guns.  Mur- 
phy manifested  no  uneasiness,  nor  made  the  slightest  attempt  to 
escape.  We  were  not  suffered  to  get  nearer  the  land  without 
some  slight  notice  from  the  Englishman,  and  it  was  manifested 
by  his  pitching  an  eighteen  pound  shot  directly  across  our  bows. 

"  That  means  show  your  flag,"  muttered  Murphy.  "  We  will 
gratify  him.  Let  him  look  upon  the  yellow  bunting  of  Spain, 
and  see  if  it  will  suit  him." 

The  flag  was  run  up,  but  did  not  seem  to  satisfy  the  com- 
mander of  the  Serpent,  for  in  a  few  minutes  a  second  shot  was 
fired,  and  it  struck  very  near  our  cutwater. 

u  Well  done,  John  Bull.  You  are  improving  in  gunnery,  and 
if  we  offer  ourselves  as  targets  much  longer,  you  will  hit  some- 
where. Haul  the  jib  to  the  windward,  ease  off  the  fore  and 
main  sheets,  and  put  the  wheel  down.  The^re  is  nothing  like 
politeness  upon  the  ocean." 

The  captain's  orders  were  obeyed,  and  in  a  few  seconds  the  Co- 
quette was  stationary  upon  the  water,  while  the  Englishman,  who 
was  to  the  windward,  edged  away  cautiously,  as  though  fearful 
there  was  some  trick  in  our  compliance,  and  was  determined  not 
to  be  cheated. 

"  See  the  effect  of  having  a  bad  name,"  laughed  Murphy. 
5 


66  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

"  The  Englighman  suspects  the  schooner  is  the  same  one  that 
slipped  through  his  fingers  off  the  coast  of  Africa,  and  he  don't 
like  to  trust  us.*' 

The  man-of-war  neared  us,  and  we  could  see  that  the  captain 
held  a  glass  in  his  hand,  which  was  often  levelled  at  the  schooner, 
as  though  puzzled  at  our  new  paint.  The  Serpent  still  keeping 
the  windward,  ranged  alongside  with  its  battery  frowning  upon  us. 

44  Schooner,  ahoy !  "  the  captain  cried. 

44  Well,"  was  Murphy's  laconic  answer. 

44  What  schooner  is  that?"  was  demanded;  and  the  tone  was 
fierce,  as  though  no  trifling  was  to  be  admitted. 

44  This  is  the  schooner  Coquette,  Captain  Ruez,  bound  for 
Havana  and  a  market." 

44  Where  are  you  from?  " 

"  We  left  the  river  Gabun  three  weeks  since,  after  lying  there 
a  month  waiting  for  a  cargo,  which  we  did  not  get." 

"  You  are  not  sticking  to  the  truth,  sir,"  the  English  captain 
said,  haughtily. 

44  A  lie  well  stuck  to  is  as  good  as  the  truth,"  Murphy  replied, 
with  a  boldness  and  spirit  that  must  have  astonished  the  English- 
man. 

44 1  shall  send  a  boat  on  board,  sir ;  and  if  you  are  the  one  who 
dared  to  fire  at  my  boats,  I  shall  take  you  as  a  lawful  prize." 

44  Do  so,  by  all  means,  if  you  think  best.  We  have  made  a 
poor  voyage,  and  as  peaceable  traders,  would  like  to  make  up  for 
our  losses." 

The  Englishman  dropped  his  cutter  in  the  water  with  a  sudden- 
ness that  was  startling.  It  showed  that  he  was  in  earnest  in 
what  he  was  about  to  do. 

We  received  the  officer  who  landed  upon  our  deck,  backed  by 
a  dozen  jolly  tars,  armed  with  cutlasses,  and  a  brace  of  pistols  for 
each  man,  in  the  most  polite  manner.  The  officer  glanced  over 
our  deck  in  expectations  of  seeing  the  guns,  with  which  we  were 
armed  when  we  met  the  Serpent  at  sea,  but  which  we  had  pru- 
dently landed  at  Quitero.  Finding  nothing  that  excited  sus- 
picions, he  turned  to  Murphy. 

44  Where  is  the  gun  which  destroyed  one  of  our  boats,  and 
killed  four  of  our  men?"  he  asked,  sternly. 

44 1  don't  understand  you,"  the  captain  replied,  blandly. 

44  Blast  your  comprehension  then,"  the  Englishman  answered. 


BANTERING-  AN   ENGLISH   OFFICER.  67 

"  You  know  what  I  mean  well  enough.  You  fired  at  one  of  our 
boats  —  didn't  you  ?  " 

"  No,"  answered  Murphy,  with  the  most  confident  assurance. 

The  officer  was  staggered  by  the  lie,  and  could  not  speak  for 
some  seconds. 

**  Did  we  not  chase  you  off  the  coast  of  Africa?  "  the  English- 
man  asked,  at  length. 

"  Not  that  I  know  of,"  was  the  very  calm  answer. 

"  I  know  better,  sir.  You  were  loaded  with  slaves,  which  you 
have  landed ;  you  only  escaped  by  the  aid  of  a  sudden  squall. 
Can  you  deny  that?" 

"  I  can  and  do  deny  it,  and  I  dare  you  to  pro.ve  your  asser- 
tions." 

"  'Tis  the  same  schooner,"  muttered  the  officer,  confidently. 

"  Rig  and  paint  the  same,  I  suppose,"  said  Murphy,  sarcastically. 

u  O,  I  am  up  to  that  dodge,  aud  understand  it.  Paint  costs  but 
little,  and  is  easily  put  on." 

"  And  civility  also  costs  but  little,  but  I  seldom  meet  with  it  at 
sea,"  the  captain  said,  insolently. 

The  officer  bit  his  lip,  aud  looked  as  though  he  would  like  to 
hang  every  one  of  us  to  our  own  spars. 

"  The  question  is  this,"  said  Murphy.  "  Do  you  wish  us  to 
haul  down  our  flag  and  surrender  as  a  prize,  or  do  you  intend  to 
let  us  continue  our  course,  and  make  Havana?  You  have  the 
power  to  do  one  or  the  other,  aud  I  am  waiting  patiently  for  you 
to  decide." 

The  officer  did  not  reply.  He  motioned  to  his  men,  and  they 
removed  the  main  hatches  ;  but  nothing  was  to  be  seen  but  dun- 
nage and  watercasks.  The  effluvia  of  slaves,  however,  was 
strong,  and  it  fairly  scented  the  atmosphere. 

u  I  smell  slaves  !  "  the  officer  exclaimed,  turning  up  his  nose. 

"  Can  you  see  any  ?  "  asked  Murphy,  with  a  chuckle. 

The  officer  did  not  reply.  He  sent  men  into  the  hold  to  search 
for  a  slave  deck  and  for  shackles,  bu.t  neither  was  to  be  found. 
Then  our  papers  were  overhauled,  but  they  were  correct,  and  bore 
the  stamp  of  the  Havana  Custom  House.  They  looked  the  schooner 
over  once  more,  but  nothing  but  the  terrible  stench  which  would 
issue  from  the  hold,  was  to  be  found  against  us.  They  left  us,  and 
we  remained  quiet  until  the  boat  was  hoisted  up,  and  the  officer 
had  made  his  report.  Then  Murphy  hailed,  — 


68  ,       A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

"  Ship,  ahoy  !  "  he  cried.  "  Am  I  now  at  liberty  to  proceed 
on  my  voyage  ?  " 

For  a  few  minutes  there  was  no  reply ;  then  the  captain  of  the 
Serpent  responded, •— 

*'  You  may  go,"  he  said ;  "  but  I  will  catch  you  some  day." 

"  Thank  you,"  answered  Murphy,  raising  his  hat ;  "  I  hope 
not.  The  English  ship  is  not  yet  built  that  can  catch  us." 

In  an  hour's  time  we  were  half  a  mile  to  the  windward,  and 
half  a  mile  ahead.  This  was  triumph  enough  for  us,  and  muster- 
ing all  hands  on  deck,  we  cheered  most  lustily.  The  Englishman 
heard  us,  and  his  disgust  was  complete.  He  put  his  helm  hard 
up,  rounded  in  his  yards,  and  went  skimming  off  before  the  wind, 
as  though  bidding  us  a  long  farewell.  We  beat  up  to  the  en- 
trance of  Havana  harbor,  ran  in  under  easy  sail,  and  dropped 
anchor  close  to  the  mole. 

The  second  day  after  our  arrival  the  crew  received  one  hun- 
dred dollars  each,  as  an  advance  of  what  they  were  really  to  have  ; 
and  with  the  money,  permission  to  go  on  shore  and  enjoy  them- 
selves for  a  week.  To  make  up  for  their  absence,  we  hired  half 
a  dozen  shoremen  to  take  care  of  the  vessel,  and  see  that  she  was 
kept  in  good  order.  At  the  same  time  I  was  informed  that  the 
amount  of  money  which  was  really  due  me,  was  near  three 
thousand  dollars,  and  as  an  earnest  that  I  was  to  receive  it,  I  got 
a  check  on  Messrs.  Riego  &  Nearti,  the  great  slave  bankers,  for 
the  gold.  Anxious  to  see  something  of  Havana  life,  I  dressed 
myself  in  my  best,  and  left  Murphy  to  look  after  the  schooner, 
and  figure  up  the  profits  of  the  voyage. 

"  You  had  better  take  a  small  revolver  with  you,"  the  captain 
said,  when  he  saw  that  I  was  dressing  with  as  much  taste  as 
possible,  and  had  eschewed  all  sailor  habiliments.  "  I  think  that 
I  can  read  your  face  and  thoughts,  and  it  might  be  well  to  go 
prepared  while  on  shore.  The  Spanish  women  are  not  always 
faithful,  and  the  Spaniards  are  sometimes  jealous.  If  you  won't 
wait  a  day  or  two  and  have  my  company,  you  had  better  go 
armed.  Take  a  revolver,  and  be  carefnl  how  you  use  it.  If  you 
should  get  into  trouble  and  want  help,  shout  as  loud  as  you  can 
the  word  ''Africa]  and  if  any  of  our  organization  is  within  hail- 
ing distance,  you  won't  be  deserted." 

I  took  the  captain's  advice,  and  put  a  small  revolver  in  my 
pocket.  As  soon  as  I  landed,  I  steered  for  the  banker's  and  pre- 


A   PORTRAIT.  69 

sented  my  check,  and  after  a  brief  glance  at  my  face  it  was  paid, 
without  the  slightest  hesitancy. 

"Has  the  senor  any  commands  for  our  firm?  "the  old  man 
said,  who  paid  me  the  money.  "  I  see  that  the  senor  has  made 
a  successful  voyage,  and  that  the  Coquette  is  likely  to  earn  her 
owners  much  gold.  I  thank  the  saints  that  the  cursed  English 
were  tricked." 

Here  was  a  man  whom  I  had  never  seen  before,  yet  who  knew 
me  and  the  vessel  to  which  I  belonged.  It  was  a  mystery,  and  I 
asked  for  information. 

"  O,"  he  answered,  with  a  dry  smile,  u  we  have  a  register  con- 
taining the  names  and  description  of  all  the  prominent  officers 
engaged  in  the  slave  trade,  so  that  in  case  of  misfortune  or  cap- 
ture we  should  know  whom  to  help  with  money  or  influence.  You 
are  engaged  in  a  business  that  requires  much  secrecy,  but  as  long 
as  you  are  faithful  and  attentive  to  it,  your  name  will  stand  well 
upon  our  books,  and  assistance  will  always  be  rendered  you  from 
a  common  fund ;  but  you  must  distinctly  understand  that  only 
upon  conditions  of  your  being  faithful  and  active  in  the  service." 

I  had  no  idea  that  the  trade  was  carried  on  so  systematically. 
For  the  purpose  of  testing  the  old  gentleman's  assertion,  I  ven- 
tured to  ask  for  a  description  of  myself;  and  without  the  slightest 
hesitation,  he  turned  to  a  large  book,  and  read,  — 

" 4  Ernest  Robert,  mate  of  schooner  Coquette,  American, 
twenty-two  years  of  age,  five  feet  ten  inches  high,  dark  hair  and 
black  eyes,  white  teeth,  intelligent,  and  a  good  navigator,  will 
bear  promotion  by  and  by,  if  faithful/  There,"  said  the  senor 
Biego,  "  is  your  portrait,  and  a  very  flattering  one  it  is.  You 
stand  high  upon  our  books,  and  it  depends  upon  yourself  to  stand 
even  higher.  A  fortune  is  before  you,  if  prudent  and  attentive." 

The  old  senor  closed  his  secret  volume,  and  restored  it  to  the 
huge  safe  from  whence  he  took  it,  and  by  that  time  my  funds 
were  counted  out  and  spread  before  me  in  gold  ounces. 

u  Is  there  anything  that  we  can  do  for  you  to-day?"  the  senor 
Riego  asked. 

"  Yes,"  I  replied,  after  a  moment's  thought.  "  You  will  please 
take  charge  of  this  money  until  I  send  an  order  for  it,  or  come 
after  it  in  person.  Two  or  three  hundred  dollars  will  be  suf- 
ficient for  me  to  expend  while  I  am  on  shore." 

14  A  wise  resolution,"  said  Mr.  Riego.     u  I  suppose  that  you 


70  A  SLAVEE'S  ADVENTURES. 

are  on  shore  for  a  frolic,  and  I  hope  that  you  will  be  discreet 
and  drink  no  more  than  will  be  necessary  for  your  health,  and 
above  all  things  avoid  gambling." 

The  old  Spaniard  smiled  as  though  he  knew  that  his  advice 
was  all  lost ;  but  just  as  I  was  turning  to  leave  his  counting-room, 
he  said,  — 

"  You  are  a  stranger  here,  and  I  fear  may  be  swindled  by 
knaves.  I  will  send  one  of  my  young  men  with  you,  and  he  will 
introduce  you  to  all  places  of  amusement.  Francisco,  go  with 
the  American  and  look  after  his  welfare." 

A  youth,  with  large,  black  eyes  and  sallow  face,  slipped  on  his 
white  linen  coat,  and  then  advanced  and  extended  his  hand  with 
a  conciliating  smile.  We  shook  hands  like  old  friends,  and  left 
the  banker's  house  together.  We  entered  a  cafe  on  the  Plaza, 
called  for  ices  and  cigars,  and  they  were  brought  us ;  and  while 
we  were  chatting  on  different  subjects,  two  ladies  entered  and 
took  seats  very  near  us.  One  was  young  and  very  handsome, 
while  the  other  I  judged  to  be  about  forty. 

41  She  is  very  beautiful,'*  I  said,  turning  to  Francisco,  my  com- 
panion. 

He  laughed,  and  lighted  a  fresh  paper  cigar. 

«  I  would  give  a  trifle  for  an  introduction,"  I  continued.  "  I 
suppose  she  is  some  rich  man's  daughter,  and  is  destined  to  marry 
a  title  as  well  as  a  fortune." 

Francisco  continued  to  laugh,  and  would  give  me  no  explana- 
tion. 

"  She  is  very  beautiful,  and  very  dangerous,"  he  said  at  length  ; 
and  sent  the  ladies  a  bundle  of  paper  cigars  by  a  waiter. 

They  acknowledged  the  compliment  with  a  bow,  and  a  slight 
smile.  I  was  anxious  to  open  a  conversation  with  them,  but 
Francisco  refused  to  encourage  me.  He  seemed  adverse  to  such 
intimacy  with  the  strangers,  but  for  what  reason  I  was  at  a  loss 
to  imagine.  Suddenly  the  ladies  threw  away  their  cigars,  paid 
their  bill,  and  rose  to  depart.  The  younger  one  turned  her  flash- 
ing eyes  upon  me  for  one  moment,  and  in  that  glance  I  read  as 
plain  as  though  she  had  spoken,  "  I  dare  you  to  follow  me,  sir ; " 
and  as  though  to  make  the  invitation  plainer,  she  dropped  her 
glove  upon  the  floor  in  such  a  manner,  that  mistake  was  im- 
possible. As  soon  as  they  reached  the  door  I  seized  the  glove, 
and  determined  to  restore  it  to  its  owner  without  delay.  I  saw 


FOLLOWING  A  LEAD.  71 

the  ladies  enter  a  volante,  and  the  younger  one  looked  back  to 
see  if  I  followed. 

"  Where  are  you  going? "  asked  Francisco. 

u  To  restore  a  glove,"  I  answered. 

In  another  instant  I  was  in  the  street,  sprang  into  a  passing 
volante,  and  told  the  driver  to  follow  the  one  which  contained  the 
ladies. 

"  I  will  meet  you  here  at  nine  this  evening,"  shouted  Fran- 
cisco, standing  on  the  sidewalk  laughing. 

We  rode  over  the  Plaza,  and  then  dashed  through  a  long  street 
that  led  towards  the  country.  Occasionally  my  dark-eyed  maid 
looked  back  to  see  if  I  followed,  and  once  she  waved  her  ungloved 
hand,  as  though  bidding  me  to  come  on. 

"  Never  fear,  young  lady,'*  I  muttered,  "  I  will  keep  you  with- 
in sight  for  a  dog  watch  at  least ;  "  and  when  my  driver  slackened 
his  pace,  I  had  only  to  promise  an  extra  reward  to  make  him 
renew  it. 

In  a  few  minutes  we  stopped  in  front  of  a  house  where  the 
volante  had  left  the  ladies,  and  I  lost  no  time  in  dismounting.  I 
walked  up  a  lane,  bordered  with  orange  trees  in  full  bloom,  on 
both  sides,  until  I  reached  the  house,  which  was  a  neat,  unpre- 
tending building,  two  stories  high,  and  like  many  of  the  houses  in 
Cuba,  constructed  of  stone  and  wood. 

The  front  door  of  the  mansion  was  invitingly  open,  but,  to  my 
extreme  disgust,  a  huge  dog  stood  there  also,  and  showed  his  teeth 
in  a  menacing  manner,  but  otherwise  manifested  no  signs  of  attack. 
I  looked  at  the  dog,  and  the  dog  returned  the  compliment  with 
every  tooth  in  his  head.  To  proceed  would  have  subjected  the 
dog  to  a  certain  death,  or  my  coat  to  a  rupture,  and  being  on  a 
friendly  visit,  I  did  not  care  for  either  extremity.  While  I  was 
thus  situated,  who  should  make  her  "appearance  but  my  divinity, 
looking  much  prettier  than  the  figure  head  of  the  Coquette.  When 
she  saw  the  position  which  the  brute  and  myself  occupied,  she 
smiled  so  pleasantly  that  I  had  a  great  mind  to  fall  down  and 
worship  her.  She  spoke  to  the  dog,  and  he  retired  growling,  as 
though  he  rather  disliked  her  interference. 

"Who  did  the  sener  wish  to  see?"  the  lady  asked,  just  as 
though  she  didn't  know. 

"  The  lady  who  left  her  glove  in  the  cafe"  I  replied,  producing 
the  piece  of  kid,  which  did  not  look  large  enough  for  an  infant. 


72  A  SLATER'S  ADVENTURES. 

"  Ah,  I  am  so  forgetful,"  she  cried  ;  "  I  had  no  idea  that  I  left 
it.  I  thank  you  a  thousand  times  ;  "  and  she  extended  her  hand 
to  receive  the  prize. 

I  managed  to  touch  her  hand  as  I  handed  the  glove  to  her,  and 
that  touch  was  like  an  electric  spark  to  my  nerves.  The  blood 
bounded  through  my  veins  like  the  Coquette  in  a  stiff  breeze  over 
the  ocean. 

"  As  you  have  been  to  so  much  trouble  on  my  account,  I 
shall  be  happy  to  repay  you  in  some  way.  Will  the  senor  enter 
the  house,  and  refresh  himself  with  some  fruit  and  a  glass  of 
wine?" 

Of  course  I  said  that  I  would,  and  she  ushered  me  into  an 
apartment  that  was  furnished  with  scrupulous  neatness  and  plain- 
ness. I  took  a  seat,  while  she  left  the  room,  begging  me  to  excuse 
her  for  a  few  minutes.  While  she  was  gone,  I  congratulated  my- 
self on  my  assurance,  and  hoped  that  the  adventure  would  end 
pleasantly.  In  a  few  minutes  the  lady  returned,  accompanied  by 
a  huge  negro,  over  six  feet  highland  stout  as  an  ox.  He  bore  a 
waiter  that  contained  oranges,  bananas,  and  apples. 

"  Come,  senor,"  she  said,  with  a  frank  smile,  "  you  must  be 
tired.  Let  my  hospitality  be  the  means  of  restoring  you." 

She  motioned  the  negro  to  place  a  chair  for  me  at  a  table, 
and  took  one  herself. 

"  Shall  I  bring  the  wine,  senorita?  "  the  negro  inquired. 

"  Yes,  bring  the  wine  —  the  weak  wine,"  she  replied.  "  You 
are  a  stranger  in  Havana  ?  "  she  asked,  as  she  cut  an  orange  with 
a  silver  knife. 

"  I  am,  lady ;  but  I  hope  I  shall  be  well  acquainted  before  I 
leave  the  city." 

"  Have  you  many  acquaintances  in  Havana  ?  "  she  asked,  care- 


"  Not  more  than  two,"  I  replied,  without  a  moment's  thought. 

u  And  those  are  very  dear  to  you?"  she  said,  with  what  I 
thought  was  womanly  curiosity. 

"  I  have  no  one  that  is  dear  to  me  in  the  world,"  I  replied. 

"  What?  "  she  asked,  "  have  you  never  loved? " 

"  Never  until  the  present  time." 

She  smiled,  as  though  she  was  far  from  being  displeased  at  my 
boldness.  After  a  moment's  silence  she  said,  — 

•'  Are  you  an  American,  senor?"  she  asked,  with  a  sweet  look. 


A   LITTLE   LOVE   MAKING.  73 

"  Yes,  senorita." 

"  I  have  beard  that  Americans  are  very  rich,  and  are  quite 
free  with  their  money." 

"  They  are  liberal,  but  all  are  not  rich.  I  wish  that  you  would 
test  the  former.  Send  me  to  the  city,  and  bid  me  bring  you  a 
present.  Name  what  you  want,  and  I  will  secure  it/'. 

She  appeared  to  think  for  a  moment,  as  though  she  had  a  mind 
to  try  my  liberality.  But  she  thought  better  of  it,  and  shook  her 
head. 

"  We  are  strangers,"  she  said,  "  and  it  would  not  be  proper 
for  me  to  accept  presents.  My  aunt  would  frown." 

"  But  we  are  not  to  remain  strangers  always,"  I  said ;  and  I 
ventured  to  touch  her  fingers,  as  though  accidentally. 

She  did  not  withdraw  her  hand,  and  I  grew  bolder. 

"  I  don't  know  that  I  can  confide  in  you,  and  yet  you  look 
honest,"  she  said. 

"  Trust  me  once,  and  if  I  deceive  you,  never  trust  me  again," 
I  replied. 

"  But  a  maiden  can  trust  but  once.  If  she  lose  confidence, 
then  all  hope  leaves  her  heart." 

"  Then  you  are  unmarried?"  I  cried. 

"  Of  course  I  am  ;  "  and  she  laughed  most  merrily. 

"  Then  I  have  gained  information  that  lifts  a -burden  from  my 
heart.  I  will  be  bold,  and  hope  that  you  will  pardon  me.  I 
love  you." 

She  gave  a  little  scream,  and  put  her  hand  to  my  mouth.  I 
kissed  it,  and  retained  my  hold  of  it  in  spite  of  a  faint  struggle. 
Just  at  that  moment  a  door  opened,  and  the  giant  negro  looked 
into  the  room. 

"  You  called  me,  senorita,"  he  said. 

"  No,  Antonio,  I  did  not  call." 

u  Does  the  senorita  wish  for  anything?" 

"  Nothing,  Antonio." 

"  Will  not  the  senorita  have  a  bottle  of  wine  —  cool  wine?" 

"  No.  You  can  go,"  she  said,  addressing  the  slave  ;  but  he  did 
not  move,  and  I  thought  that  the  lady  looked  frightened. 

"  You  black  rascal,"  I  said,  rising  from  my  chair ;  "  if  you 
don't  obey  the  lady,  I'll  break  your  head." 

I  saw  that  the  girl  exchanged  glances  with  the  negro,  and  then 
the  latter  seemed  inclined  to  be  more  friendly. 


74  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

u  I  thought  that  the  lady  called  me,"  he  said ;  and  bowing  in  a 
surly  manner  closed  the  door. 

44  Antonio  is  very  careful  of  me,"  she  cried,  with  a  laugh  that 
was  a  little  forced.  "  He  is-  rather  inclined  to  look  upon  all  who 
visit  me  in  the  light  of  lovers,  and  fears  that  their  intentions  are 
evil.  He  has  been  in  our  family  many  years,  and  is  treated  as  a 
favorite.  I  shall  have  to  scold  him  for  his  familiarity." 

I  was  satisfied  with  the  explanation,  and  somehow,  little  by 
little,  she  managed  to  draw  from  me  the  fact  that  I  had  some 
three  hundred  dollars  in  gold  in  my  pockets,  and  that  I  was  not 
particular  in  what  maflner  I  spent  it. 

"  I  have  heard  that  American  gentlemen  are  always  armed 
with  horrid  pistols  or  knives,  as  though  they  expected  to  be  at- 
tacked every  moment." 

I  remembered  the  six-barrelled  revolver  I  had  in  my  pocket, 
but  I  felt  ashamed  to  acknowledge  I  had  one,  and  I  determined 
to  deny  it. 

*'  Americans  never  go  armed  unless  they  expect  danger.  Now 
why  should  I  carry  weapons,  when  my  visit  is  one  of  love  and 
not  warfare?  I  should  feel  humiliated  if  I  thought  you  sus- 
pected as  much." 

"  O,  but  I  don't  suspect  such  a  thing.  Besides,  you  look  as 
though  you  would  not  insult  a  lady  by  entering  her  presence 
with  a  pistol." 

I  bowed,  and  wished  my  revolver  on  board  the  Coquette,  for  I 
felt  that  it  would  be  humiliating  to  be  detected  in  a  falsehood. 
We  chatted  familiarly  on  various  topics,  and  at  length  I  thought 
that  it  was  time  for  me  to  return  to  the  city. 

44  You  will  allow  me  to  call  again,  I  trust,"  I  said,  and  arose. 

44  But  you  have  no  intention  of  leaving  me  at  this  early  hour  ?  " 
she  asked,  with  a  hand  on  my  shoulder. 

u  You  are  charming,"  I  cried,  and  put  an  arm  around  her  waist 
and  drew  her  towards  me. 

Blast  that  nigger !     He  would  persist  in  opening  the  door  just 
at  the  wrong  time.     I  had  hardly  encircled  her  waist,  when  I  % 
heard  the  door  creak,  and  the  lady  sprang  from  my  embrace.     I 
looked  up  and  saw  the  negro  regarding  us. 

44  You  can  remove  the  fruit,"  the  girl  said,  carelessly,  "  and 
inform  my  aunt  that  the  senor  intends  to  remain  all  night." 

I  almost  doubted  the  evidence  of  my  senses.     Here  was  an 


AN   INVITATION.  75 

invitation  that  I  had  no  thoughts  of  receiving,  consequently  I  was 
raised  to  the  highest  pitch  of  happiness.  Even  the  brawny  negro 
seemed  pleased,  and  smiled  his  satisfaction. 

Carried  away  by  the  warmth  of  my  feelings,  I  grew  more  com- 
municative, and  pleaded  my  love  in  no  measured  terms,  and 
while  I  was  dodging  when  the  negro  entered  the  apartment,  and 
kissing  the  girl  when  his  back  was  turned,  think  that  I  got 
along  very  well  for  a  new  beginner.  At  any  rate,  she  manifested 
such  partiality  for  me,  that  I  had  some  thought  of  proposing  mar- 
riage ;  but  I  recollected  Murphy's  advice  "  to  see  how  the  land 
lay  before  splicing  was  broached,"  and  accordingly  so  governed 
myself.  I  had  no  need  to  blame  the  lady's  coldness  or  want 
of  hospitality,  and  by  the  time  we  had  dined,  and  I  had  been 
introduced  to  Senorita  Olivado,  the  aunt  of  Isadora,  I  felt  that 
I  was  quite  at  home,  and  took  good  care  to  make  myself  as 
agreeable  as  possible.  The  afternoon  wore  away  most  pleasantly. 
I  hinted  once  or  twice  for  a  walk  in  the  garden,  but  each  time 
my  wish  was  opposed  on  some  trifling  ground  that  was  not  satis- 
factory, although  I  did  not  urge  matters. 

"  By  the  way,"  Isadora  asked,  "  did  the  driver  of  the  volante 
tell  you  that  he  should  call  for  you  ?  " 

"No.     Why  do  you  ask?" 

"  Simply  because  I  will  send  you  to  town  in-  my  carriage,  in 
the  moruing,  without  trouble.  You  had  no  acquaintance  with 
him?"  she  continued,  after  a  moment's  thought. 

"  I  should  hardly  know  him  again,  or  he  me,"  was  my  answer. 

"  That  is  good." 

She  apparently  spoke  without  thinking,  for  she  flushed  suddenly, 
and  then  kissed  me,  as  though  to  banish  all  unpleasant  thoughts. 

When  the  lamps  were  lighted,  I  saw  that  the  number  of  negroes 
in  the  house  had  increased.  That  in  addition  to  Antonio  there 
were  two  others,  not  as  large  as  the  first  named,  but  stout,  ath- 
letic fellows,  and  rather  above  the  condition  of  slaves.  Their 
movements  were  independent,  as  though  they  were  privileged 
servants,  and  had  been  pampered  until  spoiled.  At  length  the 
hour  arrived  for  retiring,  and  I  gently  intimated  to  my  fair 
companion  that  I  should  like  to  seek  my  couch.  Lighting  a 
lamp,  she  bade  me  follow  her,  and  we  passed  up  a  flight  of 
stairs,  through  a  door  that  was  so  extremely  massive,  that  I 
wondered  to  what  use  it  was  ever  put.  Beaching  the  head  of  the 


76  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

stairs,  I  found  two  rooms  which  were  located  in  the  rear  part  of 
the  house,  but  they  communicated  with  each  other  by  a  door  that 
had  neither  lock  nor  bolt. 

"  Here,  seuor,  is  where  you  are  to  sleep,"  she  said,  entering  the 
larger  room  of  the  two,  which  contained  a  wardrobe,  a  bed,  two 
chairs,  a  wash-bowl,  and  pitcher. 

These  things  I  noticed  at  a  glance 

"  And  where  do  you  sleep,  senorita?"  I  asked,  with  a  warm 
kiss. 

She  pointed  to  the  next  room,  and  smiled. 

"  There  is  no  lock  on  the  door,"  I  said. 

"  There  is  no  occasion  for  one,"  was  the  reply.  "  I  trust  to 
your  honor  not  to  disturb  me  during  the  night." 

I  think  that  I  made  no  vows,  unless  a  dozen  kisses  can  be 
called  such ;  and  then  we  parted,  the  lady  leaving  me  the  light 
for  the  purpose  of  undressing. 

I  heard  Isadora  in  the  next  room,  as  though  she  was  preparing 
for  rest,  and  I  had  a  mind  to  speak  with  her  regarding  the  security 
of  the  house  ;  but  abandoned  the  idea,  and  was  about  to  set  my  lamp 
down  upon  a  chair,  when  I  saw  a  spot  upon  the  floor  that  attracted 
my  attention.  I  held  the  light  to  it,  and  saw  that  it  was  dark, 
and  of  the  color  of  blood.  For  the  first  time  a  suspicion  darted 
through  my  brain  that  perhaps  the  lady,  whom  I  had  promised  to 
love  so  devotedly,  was  not  what  she  seemed.  I  tried  to  account 
for  the  spot  in  various  ways ;  but  the  more  I  pondered  on  the 
subject,  the  more  perplexed  did  I  grow.  I  saw  that  attempts 
had  been  made  to  erase  the  stain,  even  by  scraping  the  wood  ;  but 
the  fluid  had  sank  deep  into  the  cedar,  and  showed  as  clear  and 
distinct  as  when  it  first  fell.  While  I  was  thus  occupied,  Isadora 
called  to  me  :  — 

"  Has  the  senor  retired  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  No  ;  I  am  thinking,"  I  replied. 

"  And  of  what  is  the  senor  thinking  ?  " 

44  How  much  I  love  you  ?  "  I  rejoined. 

She  laughed,  and  I  paid  no  more  attention  to  the  spot  upon  the 
floor.  I  threw  off  my  light  coat,  removed  my  shoes,  and  then 
turned  down  the  sheets  of  my  bed.  The  linen  was  clean  and 
white,  and  the  hair  mattress  looked  inviting.  I  finished  un- 
dressing, placed  my  gold  in  a  belt  around  my  person,  and  got 
into  bed. 


THE   LIGHT   IS   OUT.  77 

"  Isadora,"  I  said,  "  I  am  in  bed." 

"  Then  why  not  extinguish  the  light?"  she  asked,  as  though 
she  had  been  waiting  at  the  door,  listening  to  my  movements. 

"  You  must  come  and  do  that,"  I  replied. 

"  Me?  "  she  cried.     "  I  am  sure  I  shan't." 

"Then  let  it  burn-all  night." 

There  was  no  response  on  her  part,  but  I  thought  I  heard  a 
suppressed  whispering  in  her  room.  I  listened  attentively,  but 
could  make  nothing  of  the  words  used.  I  removed  my  revolver 
from  under  my  pillow,  where  I  had  placed  it,  and  by  holding  a 
sheet  over  it,  was  enabled  to  examine  it  carefully.  The  charges 
were  all  right,  and  I  placed  it  in  a  convenient  place,  so  that  I 
could  lay  hands  upon  it  in  case  of  necessity  ;  for  somehow  I  be- 
gan to  feel  as  though  I  had  mistaken  the  house,  and  that  my 
adventure  was  not  likely  to  terminate  as  pleasantly  as  I  supposed. 
The  whispering  still  continued,  but  I  was  determined  to  let  the 
girl  know  I  heard  it. 

"  Isadora,"  I  said,  "  who  are  you  talking  with?" 

There  was  silence  for  a  moment,  and  then  she  spoke. 

"  You  heathen,"  she  cried,  "  I  am  saying  my  prayers,  which  is 
more  than  you  have  done,  I'll  warrant." 

She  laughed,  and  I  again  felt  my  stock  of  confidence  rising.  I 
rested  my  head  upon  my  pillow,  and  just  at  that  moment  my  light 
was  extinguished,  but  in  what  manner  I  could  not  tell.  *  When  I 
looked  at  the  lamp  a  moment  beforfe  it  was  burning  brightly,  and 
there  was  sufficient  oil  to  last  half  the  night. 

"  Hullo,  Isadora,"  I  cried,  "  the  light  has  extinguished  itself. 
There  is  no  occasion  for  your  presence  here." 

There  was  no  response. 

"  Do  you  hear  me  ?  or  have  you  fallen  asleep  ?  " 

Still  there  was  no  answer.  I  thought  she  was  remaining  si- 
lent for  the  purpose  of  inducing  me  to  seek  for  a  response.  I 
was  easily  tempted  in  those  days,  and  I  do  not  hesitate  to  say 
that  I  left  my  bed  and  groped  my  way  towards  the  room  occupied 
by  Isadora.  I  reached  the  door  and  paused.  I  had  some  re- 
spect for  her  position,  after  all. 

"  Isadora,"  I  whispered,  "  don't  be  alarmed.  I  have  visited 
you  for  the  purpose  of  having  a  little  private  conversation.  You 
will  pardon  me  —  won't  you  ?  " 

Still  she  remained  wilfully  silent.     I  grew  bolder,  and  left  tho 


78  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

door  open,  advancing  in  the  direction  of  the  bed,  or  where  I  sup- 
posed it  rested. 

"  Isadora,"  I  continued,  "  are.  you  asleep?  "    . 

There  was  no  reply.  I  hit  my  shin  against  a  chair,  and  the 
pain  provoked  an  English  oath  of  some  magnitude. 

u  She  is  pretending  sleep,"  I  thought,  and  I  continued  my  in- 
vestigations as  soon  as  the  pain  would  permit  me.  I  reached  the 
bed,  and  felt  carefully  for  the  purpose  of  discovering  which  was  the 
head  of  it ;  and  when  I  had  done  so,  I  once  more  whispered  a 
caution  not  to  be  afraid,  and  put  my  hand  upon  that  part  of  it 
where  I  supposed  I  should  find  the  person  of  the  lady.  To 
my  intense  disgust  and  disappointment  Isadora  was  not  there ; 
and  what  was  worse,  it  was  evident  that  she  had  not  laid  down. 
I  dressed,  and  then  sought  to  open  the  door  which  led  down  stairs, 
but  to  my  surprise  it  was  fastened  on  the  outside,  and  all  quiet 
attempts  to  open  it  were  futile.  I  did  not  get  alarmed,  for  I 
thought  there  was  no  occasion  for  such  feeling ;  but  I  did  sit 
down  in  a  chair,  and  curse  in  a  quiet  manner,  for  allowing  my- 
self to  be  tricked  by  a  woman  whom  I  thought  was  all  innocence 
and  simplicity.  But  cursing  would  not  relieve  me,  so  I  concluded 
to  stretch  out  on  the  floor,  and  rest  with  my  eyes  open  until 
morning.  I  thought  that  perhaps  if  I  laid  upon  the  bed  I  might 
fall  asleep,  and  not  wake  up  again  in  good  order  and  condition. 
Two  or^three  hours  passed,  and  I  think  that  at  length  I  grew 
drowsy,  for  I  was  suddenly  startled  by  a  movement  that  proceeded 
from  the  direction  of  the  wardrobe.  I  remained  perfectly  still, 
and  listened.  The  noise  ceased,  but  I  could  hear  a  subdued  whis- 
per that  was  rather  ominous.  The  talking  died  away,  and  all 
was  still  for  a  few  minutes,  and  then  came  a  sudden  creak,  as 
though  the  doors  of  the  wardrobe  were  opening  slowly.  I 
strained  my  eyes,  and  tried  to  discover  who  was  in  the  room ; 
but  the  darkness  was  too  intense,  and  I  could  only  listen  and  re- 
main silent.  All  was  quiet  for  ten  minutes ;  but  I  fancied  I 
heard  deep  breathing,  as  though  some  one  was  waiting.  Then 
I  heard  a  whisper,  and  could  make  out  what  was  said. 

"  I  tell  you  he  is  asleep  and  on  the  bed." 

The  voice  was  that  of  Isadora.  The  handsome  little  wretch  — 
I  began  to  comprehend  that  she  was  not  the  amiable  person  I  sup- 
posed her  to  be. 

"  You  are  sure  he  is  not  armed  ?  "  I  heard  Antonio  ask. 


IN   THE   DARK.  79 

"  Did  he  not  say  so?  Did  he  not  look  offended  when  I  hinted 
such  a  thing  ?  " 

u  True  —  and  you  are  sure  of  the  money? " 

"He  has  it  with  him  —  in  gold.  But  I  wish  you  would  take 
it  and  spare  his  life.  '  He  loves  me  so  dearly." 

"  You  are  a  fool,"  Antonio  cried  ;  and  I  thought  his  voice,  even 
as  low  as  it  was,  partook  of  some  feeling  of  jealousy. 

"  Don't  let  us  stand  here  whispering  all  night.      Let  us  work." 

That  voice  belonged  to  one  of  the  negroes  whom  I  had  seen  at 
the  house  after  dark. 

"  If  you  had  let  me  brought  in  the  drugged  wine,"  Antonio 
said,  "  he  would  have  slept  so  soundly  that  there  would  have  been 
no  trouble." 

"  But  there  will  be  no  trouble  now  if  you  spare  his  life.  You 
had  better  do  so,  for  the  last  one  created  some  stir." 

"  Bah  !  "  cried  the  giant  negro  ;  "  you  love  the  white  man,  and 
would  save  his  life.  He  shall  die." 

I  heard  the  scoundrels  move  across  the  room,  and  reach  the 
bed.  I  held  my  breath  and  listened.  There  was  a  moment's 
pause,  and  then  a  heavy  blow  was  struck  that  made  me  shudder. 
It  was  evident  that  the  villain,  thinking  I  was  on  the  bed,  had 
struck  with  a  knife,  intending  to  make  short  work  of  me. 

"  Have  you  finished  him  ?  "  asked  Antonio's  companion,  speak- 
ing no  longer  in  a  whisper. 

"  He  is  not  here  1 "  cried  Antonio  ;  and  I  thought  that  he  mani- 
fested some  alarm. 

"  Not  there?     Where  in  the  devil's  name  has  he  gone?  " 
*  "  He  must  be  in  the  next  room.     He  has  gone  in  search  of 
Isadora,  and  fallen  asleep." 

.  "  Then  let  us  light  a  lamp  and  find  him,"  one  of  the  negroes 
said. 

I  sat  up,  revolver  in  hand,  while  the  ruffians  were  lighting  the 
lamp. 

*l  He  is  in  the  next  room,"  Antonio  said,  in  a  whisper. 

"  Let  us  go  and  fix  him  while  he  sleeps,"  the  other  cried ;  and 
they  were  moving  towards  the  door,  when  I  spoke. 

"If  you  are  looking  for  me,  you  need  not  go  far,"  I  said, 
rising  to  my  feet,  and  keeping  my  revolver  concealed  from  their 
view. 

The  negroes  started,  and  turned  suddenly  towards  me.     Each 


80  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

was  armed  with  a  knife,  and  the  expression  of  their  faces  showed 
that  they  were  determined  to  use  them.  They  made  a  move- 
ment towards  me,  holding  the  light  in  such  a  manner  that  they 
could  see  if  I  carried  anything  in  my  hands.  Isadora  had  disap- 
peared. 

"  Don't  advance  another  step,"  I  said,  calmly.  "  You  are  al- 
ready near  enough." 

They  halted  and  looked  at  me,  but  seeing  no  arms,  still  sup- 
posed that  I  was  defenceless. 

"What  do  you  wish?"  I  asked.  "If  you  want  my  money, 
you  can  have  it,  but  not  by  force." 

"  We  do  want  your  money,"  Antonio  said,  "  and  we  will  have 
it." 

"  But  you  will  spare  my  life,  I  hope,"  I  continued,  for  the  purpose 
of  seeing  to  what  extremities  they  would  proceed.  "  Yes,"  I  con- 
tinued, "  if  you  will  spare  my  life,  and  let  Isadora  leave  the 
house  with  me,  you  shall  have  all  my  money." 

The  features  of  the  giant  were  convulsed  with  rage.  I  had 
excited  his  worst  passions,  as  I  supposed  I  should. 

"  Come,  say  the  word,  and  the  money  shall  be  yours,"  I  cried. 
"  She  will  go  with  me,  I  know." 

u  You  have  spoken  with  her  on  the  subject,"  he  cried,  fiercely. 

"  Of  course  I  have,  and  she  promised  me  with  a  kiss." 

"  Then,  curse  you,  you  shall  die  at  any  rate !  "  shouted  the 
negro,  raising  his  knife,  and  plunging  towards  me. 

He  was  quick,  but  I  expected  his  movements,  and  was  prepared 
for  them.  When  he  was  within  four  feet  of  me,  I  raised  my  re. 
volver,  and  took  fair  aim.  He  saw  the  weapon,  and  would 
have  stopped,  but  could  not ;  and  just  as  his  knife  was  about 
to  descend  upon  my  breast,  I  fired,  and  sprang  one  side.  There 
was  a  stunning  report,  and  then  a  heavy  fall  that  shook  the  whole 
upper  part  of  the  house.  The  negro  kicked  convulsively,  and 
then  all  was  quiet.  His  companion  seemed  half  inclined  to  risk 
his  life  to  avenge  his  comrade ;  but  on  second  thoughts  con- 
cluded that  he  would  not,  so  turned  and  fled  towards  the  ward- 
robe, the  doors  of  which  stood  open.  I  thought  that  possibly  he 
might  escape,  and  call  a  gang  of  ruffians  to  his  assistance,  and 
then  make  short  work  with  me.  With  this  impression  I  did  not 
think  that  I  should  be  justified  in  letting  him  off  free  ;  so,  just  aa 
he  had  gained  the  wardrobe,  I  raised  my  pistol  and  fired.  The 


A   CONFESSION.  81 

ball  struck  the  fellow  on  his  hip,  and  he  clapped  one  hand  upon 
that  portion  of  his  person,  gave  a  fearful  yell,  and  strove  to  keep 
his  feet.  But  the  effort  was  too  much ;  he  staggered,  and  fell 
heavily.  Even  then  he  sought  to  escape  by  crawling  towards 
the  wardrobe,  but  I  frustrated  it  by  stepping  in  front  of  him. 
The  negro  was  desperate,  and  did  not  like  to  yield.  He  aimed 
a  blow  at  my  legs  with  his  keen,  glittering  knife,  and  I  narrowly 
escaped  a  bad  wound.  I  jumped  aside,  and  the  blade  was  buried 
in  the  floor,  and  broke  short  off  at  the  hilt.  Then  I  had  him  at 
my  mercy,  and  he  knew  it. 

"  Spare  my  life,  senor,"  he  pleaded.  "  I  did  not  mean  to  harm 
you." 

"  Yes ;  the  broken  knife  is  evidence  that  you  did  not,"  I  re- 
plied, touching  with  my  foot  the  weapon,  which  still  remained  in 
the  floor. 

44  I  did  not  know  what  I  was  doing,  senor.  O,  the  pain  in  my 
hip  is  so  great  that  I  shall  die.  I  cannot  move  my  leg.  Mercy, 
senor,  for  love  of  the  saints  !  " 

44  Dog  !  "  I  replied,  "  you  deserve  to  die  like  your  brother  ruf- 
fian ;  but  if  you  will  answer  my  questions  truly,  I  will  spare  your 
life." 

"  Speak,  senor,  and  I  will  answer  truly,  or  may  the  saints 
never  pardon  me." 

I  cocked  my  pistol.  The  negro  saw  the  movement,  and  fear- 
ing that  I  was  about  to  make  short  work  with  him,  howled  dread- 
fully. 

"  Be  quiet,  you  brute,  or  I'll  give  you  something  that  will  make* 
you." 

He  ceased  instantly,  but  watched  my  every  look  and  motion 
with  intense  eagerness. 

"  Tell  me  how  many  are  connected  with  your  gang,"  I  asked. 

44  Three,  senor ;  Antonio,  myself,  and  a  negro  named  Pedro." 

"Where  is  Pedro?" 

44  He  is  outside  of  the  house,  for  the  purpose  of  giving  a  signal 
if  any  one  approaches." 

44  And  where  is  the  girl,  Isadora?  " 

"  She  is  in  the  room  underneath,  senor,  waiting  for  us  to  finish 
our  job." 

44  And  her  aunt,  where  is  she  ?  " 

44  She  is  not  her  aunt,  senor,  although  she  has  passed  as  such. 
6 


82  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

She  has  gone  to  Havana  for  the  purpose  of  learning  if  there  were 
any  inquiries  respecting  you." 

"  Did  the  girl  plan  my  murder?  "  I  must  confess  that  I  was 
rather  anxious  for  an  answer  that  would  exculpate  her  from 
such  a  charge. 

*'  Antonio  would  not  promise  her  that  your  life  should  be 
spared,  and  she  quarrelled  with  him  on  that  account.  Antonio 
was  jealous  of  you,  senor,  because  bethought  that  she  loved  you." 

"  And  do  you  think  that  she  does?"  I  asked  ;  for  even  then  I 
was  willing  to  forgive  the  girl.  Man  is  so  anxious  to  overlook 
faults  in  the  woman  he  loves  —  before  marriage. 

"  She  seemed  to  think  more  of  you,  senor,  than  any  man  she 
ever  saw." 

I  was  ready  to  forgive  the  fellow  after  those  words.  I  began 
to  regret  that  I  had  injured  him. 

"  How  many  men  have  you  robbed  in  the  house?  Answer  me 
truly,  for  your  life  depends  upon  it." 

"  Six,  senor." 

"  And  have  you  murdered  them  after  taking  their  money?" 

"  We  finished  them  first,  and  robbed  them  afterwards,  senor?" 

"  How  did  you  induce  them  to  visit  the  house  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  In  the  same  manner  that  you  were  invited  to  come  here. 
Isadora  acted  as  a  decoy." 

"  Was  she  Antonio's  mistress?"  I  asked,  after  some  hesitation, 
for  I  feared  that  his  answer  would  be  in  the  affirmative. 

"  No,  senor  ;  she  refused  to  have  anything  to  do  with  him,  ex- 
cept in  the  way  of  bringing  people  here.  She  received  one  third  of 
the  money  that  we  got.  Antonio  received  one  third,  because  he 
owned  the  house  and  furniture  ;  while  the  other  third  was  divided 
between  Pedro,  the  old  woman,  and  myself." 

"  You  are  certain  that  was  the  only  connection  between  An- 
tonio and  Isadora?  "  I  asked. 

"  Yes,  senor ;  for  the  poor  fellow  has  begged  and  prayed  to  the 
girl  to  marry  him,  and  she  has  laughed  at  his  passion." 

"  Was  Antonio  a  slave  ?  "  I  asked. 

u  No,  senor ;  he  purchased  his  liberty  five  years  since,  with 
money  he  drew  in  a  lottery." 

"  Are  you  a  slave?  " 

"  I  am,  senor,  and  live  with  my  master  about  half  a  mile  from 
here." 


A   SEARCH   FOB   ISADORA.  83 

"  Can  I  find  Isadora  by  descending  the  stairs,  through  the 
wardrobe  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Yes,  senor,  if  she  has  not  fled  from  the  house." 

I  seized  the  light,  and  determined  to  commence  my  explorations 
without  delay,  for  I  was  anxious  to  see  the  girl,  and  upbraid  her 
for  her  treachery,  and  then,  perhaps,  forgive  her. 

I  entered  the  wardrobe,  and  saw  before  me  a  flight  of 
stairs,  which  were  very  steep  and  very  narrow.  I  cautiously 
descended,  and  upon  reaching  the  landing,  found  that  I  was 
standing  in  a  small  closet,  large  enough  to  hold  three  per- 
sons by  close  packing.  I  looked  hard  for  a  door,  but  none 
was  to  be  found ;  and  while  I  was  thus  occupied,  saw  many 
stains  of  blood  upon  the  floor  and  stairs.  I  did  not  feel  in 
the  least  disturbed,  as  I  knew  that  I  could  break  through  a  win- 
dow up  stairs,  in  case  I  did  not  find  an  outlet  from  the  closet ;  so, 
with  as  much  composure  as  if  I  had  been  upon  the  deck  of  the 
Coquette,  I  continued  my  investigation  for  a  secret  panel,  and  at 
length  my  patience  was  rewarded.  I  saw  a  small  brass  knob  in 
one  corner,  and  on  pressing  upon  it  gently,  a  door  sprang  open. 
I  stepped  out  quietly,  and  found  that  I  was  in  the  entry,  or  pas- 
sage-way of  the  house,  on  the  ground  floor,  and  that  I  was  near 
this  heavy  door  which  I  had  noticed  when  I  went  to  bed.  I  tried 
this  door,  and  found  that  it  was  locked  and  bolted,  and  then 
passed  on  rapidly  to  the  apartment  where  I  had  been  enter- 
tained during  the  afternoon  by  Isadora.  During  all  {his  time 
I  had  not  met  with  a  single  person. 

I  entered  the  room  where  I  expected  to  find  Isadora,  but  she 
was  not  there.  There  was  no  light  in  the  apartment,  except- 
ing the  one  which  I  carried,  and  with  that  I  examined  every  part 
of  the  room,  and  then  searched  other  portions  of  the  building. 
No  one  was  to  be  found,  aud  I  suspected  that  the  discharge  of  my 
pistol  had  alarmed  Isadora,  and  she  had  fled  from  the  house. 
Perhaps,  I  thought,  she  has  gone  in  search  of  the  police,  and 
will  thus  have  an  opportunity  to  tell  her  story  first,  and  involve 
me  in  some  trouble.  The  more  I  thought  of  the  matter,  the 
more  I  became  convinced  that  such  might  be  the  case,  so  I  deter- 
mined to  leave  the  house  without  delay. 

I  set  my  lamp  down,  and  walked  to  one  of  the  windows  in  the 
back  part  of  the  house.  It  was  not  secured,  and  as  soon  as  I 
raised  it  I  dropped  to  the  ground,  and  found  that  I  was  in  the 


84  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

garden,  concealed  by  orange  trees,  which  grew  in  profusion  near 
the  house.  I  listened  attentively  for  a  moment,  but  only  the 
wind,  sighing  through  the  branches  was  to  be  heard.  Then  I 
started  for  a  hedge  which  bordered  on  the  road,  and  with  a  nimble 
leap  cleared  it,  and  commenced  my  walk  for  Havana,  nearly 
three  miles  distant,  and  past  ten  o'clock  in  the  evening. 

Just  as  I  was  congratulating  myself  on  my  good  fortune  I  saw 
half  a  dozen  lights  on  the  road  ahead  of  me,  and  thought  I 
could  distinguish  the  clash  of  arms.  I  considered  it  was  best 
to  make  all  secure,  and  not  trust  to  chance  ;  so  I  concealed  ray- 
self  by  the  side  of  the  road,  and  thought  that  I  would  wait 
until  the  crowd  passed.  I  had  barely  got  under  cover  of  some 
bushes,  when  the  lights  and  people  carrying  them  neared  me, 
and  to  my  surprise  I  counted  no  less  than  six  soldiers,  armed 
with  muskets,  and  at  their  head  marched  a  ferocious-looking 
sergeant,  and  by  his  side  the  slave  who  had  been  intrusted  with 
guarding  the  outside  of  the  house  while  his  comrades  performed 
their  work  within. 

"  You  heard  two  shots,"  the  sergeant  said,  addressing  the  negro. 

"  Two,  senor,  and  then  groans.  I  did  not  enter  the  house  for 
fear  I  should  share  the  fate  of  those  who  were  within." 

"  Bueno.  You  did  right ;  and  if  we  take  him,  you  shall  be  re- 
warded ;  but  if  you  have  given  us  this  long  tramp  for  nothing,  you 
had  better  have  a  care  of  your  back,  for  the  men  will  tickle  it." 

"  You  will  be  convinced,  senor,  that  I  have  spoken  the  truth, 
for  I  heard  a  woman  scream  and  then  saw  her  leave  the  house." 

I  waited  until  the  soldiers  were  out  of  hearing,  and  then  left 
my  place  of  concealment,  and  continued  my  way  towards  the  city 
as  fast  as  I  could  walk.  I  met  with  no  interruption  until  I 
reached  the  guard-house,  which  stood  just  upon  the  outskirts  of 
the  city,  where  I  knew  I  should  be  challenged  if  I  attempted 
to  pass,  and  possibly  detained  until  morning.  To  avoid  this,  I 
struck  across  a  field  and  gained  a  street  that  led  me  towards  the 
Plaza,  which  I  knew  if  I  found,  I  could  easily  reach  the  cafe 
where  my  new  friend  Francisco  was  to  await  my  arrival,  although 
I  had  but  faint  hopes  of  finding  him  at  that  late  hour.  I  soon 
reached  the  cafe  where  I  had  left  Spaniard,  and  to  my  joy  found 
him  eating  ices  and  smoking  cigars,  surrounded  by  three  men 
about  as  old  as  himself. 

"  Ah,  Americano  /"  my  friend  exclaimed,  as  soon  as  he  saw 
me,  making  room  for  me  by  his  side. 


A  RETURN  TO   THE   HOUSE.  85 

He  introduced  me  to  his  friends,  and  my  arrival  was  the  signal 
for  fresh  bottles  of  wine,  more  cigars  and  ices. 

"  Come,"  cried  Francisco,  after  I  had  drank  a  glass  of  wine, 
"  give  us  the  history  of  your  adventure,  unless  you  are  bound  to 
keep  everything  secret,  in  which  case  we  have  no  questions  to-  ask." 

"  Perhaps  what  I  have  to  say  should  be  told  you  alone,"  I  re- 
plied, "  and  then  if  you  think  it  is  proper" to  speak  more  fully,  I 
will  do  so.*' 

The  others  bowed,  as  though  they  had  no  objection  to  such  a 
course,  and  taking  Francisco  aside,.!  related  the  scenes  through 
which  I  had  passed.  He  listened  most  attentively,  but  did  not 
interrupt  me  by  a  word  until  I  had  concluded,  and  then  he  com- 
mended me  for  my  prudence,  and  congratulated  me  on  my  escape. 

"  I  laughed  when  you  left  me  this  forenoon,"  he  said  ;  "  but  it 
was  because  I  thought  that  the  only  danger  you  would  encounter 
would  be  the  loss  of  a  few  ounces.  But  this  is  serious,  and  shows 
the  girl  has  commenced  a  new  game  and  an  evil  one." 

"But  what  am  I  to  do?"  I  asked.  "  I  run  great  risk  in  re- 
maining on  shore." 

"  We  must  meet  the  charges  which  they  bring  against  you  at 
once,"  said  Francisco,  "  and  keep  the  police  quiet.  We  have  no 
time  to  lose  if  we  intend  to  act.  You  must  come  with  us." 

"  But  where?" 

"  To  the  house  where  the  shooting  occurred." 

"  But  there  is  danger  of  my  being  arrested,"  I  urged. 

"  Don't  fear  on  that  account.  My  friend  and  myself  have  some 
little  influence  with  the  police." 

After  telling  my  story,  each  man  extended  his  hand  and  presse€ 
mine  warmly. 

"  Fear  nothing,"  they  said.  "  We  are  bound  together  by  no 
common  ties,  and  what  Francisco  advises  is  for  the  best." 

We  started  to  find  a  volante,  and  did  not  have  far  to  go  to 
obtain  one  that  suited  us.  While  we  rattled  along  my  compan- 
ions were  anxious  to  hear  further  particulars.  I  told  them  all,  and 
while  they  listened  in  astonishment,  all  were  anxious  to  see  the 
revolver  which  had  performed  its  work  so  thoroughly.  I  handed 
them  the  pistol,  and  by  the  time  all  had  seen  it  by  the  aid  of  the 
lamp  which  the  volante  carried,  we  had  reached  the  guard-house, 
and  were  stopped  by  a  sharp  challenge.  Our  driver  waited  pa- 
tiently until  a  sergeant,  with  a  lantern  in  his  hand,  advanced  to 
scrutinize  us. 


86  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

"  Hallo,  Pedro  !  what  is  the  meaning  of  this  ?  "  asked  Francisco. 
"  Ah,  senor,  a  murder  has  been  committed  at  the  casa  Tafrata^ 
and  we  are  looking  sharp  for  those  who  did  the  deed,"  replied  the 
sergeant. 

"  Bah,  and  did  you  expect  to  find  them  coming  from  Havana?  " 
asked  Francisco. 

"  It  is  hard  to  tell,* senor,  where  to  look  for  the  one  we  seek." 

44  Well,  we  shall  stop  dt  the  Tafrata  and  see  how  things  look. 
You  are  satisfied  that  we  have  done  no  ill?  " 

"  The  saints  forbid,  senor,  that  you  should  kill,  unless  in  a  fair 
duel,  and  then  may  you  always  triumph.  Good  night,  and  a  safe 
return." 

In  ten  minutes  time  we  had  reached  the  house  and  .stopped. 
Lights  were  flashing  from  every  window,  and  at  the  front  door  we 
could  see  a  soldier  armed  with  musket  and  sword  to  prevent  ac- 
cess to,  or  egress  from,  the  building.  We  alighted  from  the 
volante,  and  walked  slowly  up  the  avenue  leading  to  the  house  ; 
but  when  within  a  rod  of  the  sentinel  he  covered  us  with  his 
musket,  and  challenged. 

"Who  comes?"  he  asked;  and  his  challenge  brought  two  or 
three  of  his  companions  to  the  door. 

"  Friends,"  replied  Francisco. 

"  We  know  no  friends  here,"  was  the  answer.  "  Stand  where 
you  are  until  you  can  give  an  account  of  yourself." 

The  sentry  spoke  to  one  of  his  comrades,  and  the  latter  hurried 
off,  and  returned  in  a  few  minutes  with  his  commanding  officer. 
He  had  a  pen  in  his  mouth,  as  if  he  had  been  interrupted  while 
%riting. 

44  Who  wishes  to  see  me? "he  asked,  advancing  towards  us 
rather  cautiously,  as  though  he  feared  a  surprise. 

"  A  few  of  your  old  friends,  sergeant.    Don't  you  recollect  us  ?  " 

44  Diablo,  can  I  ever  forget  you  ?  Have  you .  not  played  wild 
pranks  enough  in  the  city  to  make  me  remember  you  for  life  ?  " 
was  the  answer. 

44  But  we  have  always  paid  for  them  like  cavaliers,  have  we 
not?"  Francisco  asked. 

"  The  saints  be  praised,  but  you  have,  so  I  have  no  fault  to 
find.  What  do  you  want  here  at  this  hour  of  the  night?" 

44  We  heard  a  rumor  that  blood  had  been  shed,  and  we  are 
anxious  to  see  it.  Besides,  we  learn  that  a  pretty  girl  is  some- 


THE   HAVANA   POLICE.*  87 

how  mixed  up  in  the  matter,  and  we  want  to  see  her,  and  do  her 
a  service." 

" I  suppose  so,"  muttered  the  sergeant.  "  You  youngsters  are 
always  having  your  eyes  towards  the  women,  and  we  honest  fel- 
lows of  the  army  don't  stand  a  chance  when  you  and  your  money 
come  in  sight.  But  there  is  no  show  for  you  here,  senor,  I  can 
tell  you  ;  for  the  girl  is  a  prisoner  ^  and  will  be  kept  as  one  until 
wanted  as  a  witness." 

u  That  is  the  very  reason  we  desire  to  see  her ;  for  how  do  you 
know  but  we  can  throw  some  light  on  the  matter,  and  assist  you 
in  the  investigation?"  asked  Francisco. 

"  If  you  can  do  that,  I  shall  think  you  are  of  some  use  in  the. 
world,  for  all  that  we  have  to  work  upon  now  is  what  a  slave  tells 
us ;  that  the  man  who  fired  the  pistol  is  an  American,  and  a  des- 
perate one  at  that.  The  girl  whom  I  expected  to  get  full  par- 
ticulars from,  refuses  to  utter  one  word  that  will  give  us  a  scent. 
But  we  shall  find  him  before  many  days  have  passed,  or  set  the 
police  of  Havana  down  as  of  no  use." 

"  We  did  that  some  time  ago,"  Francisco  replied,  with  a  laugh. 
uBut  come,  old  friend,  don't  keep  us  waiting  here  all  night, 
when  we  can  be  otherwise  employed,  and  in  doing  some  good. 
Let  us  go  and  see  the  parties,  and  you  and  your  comrades  shall 
not  be  forgotten." 

The  sergeant  appeared  to  take  the  hint,  for  he  touched  his  hat 
and  smiled.  In  fact  such  an  expression  stole  over  his  face  as 
would  lead  one  to  think  that  he  expected  a  pecuniary  reward  for 
his  consent.  He  turned  and  led  the  way  towards  the  house,  and 
the  soldiers  who  were  collected  in  the  entry  of  the  building 
saluted  us  in  true  military  style,  and  with  smiles  of  good  humor. 
We  entered  the  house,  and  followed  the  sergeant  to  the  very  room 
in  which  I  had  made  such  desperate  love  to  Isadora  in  the  after- 
noon. Francisco  motioned  me  to  keep  in  the  background,  and  to 
pull  my  hat  over  my  face  for  the  purpose  of  concealment ;  hints 
which  I  obeyed  quite  readily. 

As  we  entered  the  room  I  saw  that  Isadora  was  seated  with 
her  back  to  the  door,  under  the  charge  of  a  soldier,  while  on  the 
floor,  groaning  with  agony,  was  the  negro  slave  whom  I  had 
wounded  in  the  hip  two  hours  before.  A  short  distance  from 
him,  seated  in  a  chair,  and  also  guarded,  was  the  negro  Pedro, 
who  had  given  information  to  the  police. 


88  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

"  Now,  then,"  said  the  sergeant,  "  we  will  recommence  our  in- 
terrogations in  relation  to  this  affair ;  and  mind,  young  woman, 
that  you  speak  the  truth,  and  freely,  or  the  worse  will  it  be  for 
you.  I  wish  one  of  you  gentlemen  would  write  down  the  answers 
which  we  receive ;  for,  to  tell  the  truth,  my  hands  are  stiff,  and 
my  penmanship  none  of  the  best.  I  have  commenced  the  work, 
but  have  made  little  progress." 

Francisco  volunteered  to  write  down  what  was  desired,  and  the 
sergeant,  full  of  the  importance  of  his  commission,  began  to  ques- 
tion the  girl. 

"  Tell  me  what  kind  of  looking  man  was  the  one  who  com- 
mitted the  deed  ?  "  the  soldier  asked. 

"  I  don't  know,"  was  the  response, 

"  Was  he  tall  or  short?  " 

"  I  have  forgotten." 

"  Was  he  dark  or  fair?" 

"  I  did  not  notice." 

"  What  countryman  was  he? " 

"  He  spoke  Spanish  like  a  Spaniard." 

"  Was  he  a  Spaniard?  " 

"  I  don't  know." 

"  In  what  direction  did  he  fly?" 

"  I  did  not  notice.     I  was  too  terrified." 

"  How  came  the  murderer  here?" 

"  He  stopped  at  the  house  for  a  glass  of  water,  and  then  asked 
the  privilege  of  remaining  all  night,  complaining  that  he  felt  sick." 

"  Did  he  carry  off  valuables  when  he  fled  from  the  house  ?  " 

u  I  think  not." 

The  sergeant,  despairing  of  receiving  any  information  of  value 
from  the  girl,  turned  to  the  wounded  negro  for  the  purpose  of 
questioning  him.  It  was  necessary  to  move  the  slave  a  trifle,  so 
that  a  view  could  be  obtained  of  his  face ;  and  when  this  was 
done,  and  the  crowd  had  fallen  back,  the  wounded  man  looked 
anxiously  around  the  room,  until  his  eyes  fell  upon  me.  In  spite 
of  his  wound,  and  the  pain  under  which  he  labored,  he  struggled 
to  sit  erect,  and  pointed  with  his  hand  at  me,  shouting,  — 

"  There  is  the  murderer  !  " 

Isadora  started  to  her  feet,  and  uttered  a  faint  scream ;  and  the 
soldiers,  to  prevent  my  escape,  if  I  had  been  so  disposed,  closed  the 
door  and  stood  before  it.  I  was  not  taken  by  surprise,  for  I  had 


AN   AWKWARD   POSITION,  89 

expected  such  a  denouement,  and  was  nerved  to  meet  it.  The  ser- 
geant looked  astonished  and  confounded.  He  hardly  knew  what 
to  do  or  say  under  the  circumstances,  and  turned  to  Francisco 
for  advice. 

"  Is  the  senor  a  friend  of  yours?"  he  asked. 

"  He  is  a  friend  of  mine  and  the  gentlemen  present" 

"  What  reply  can  he  make  to  the  charge  thus  brought  against 
him?"  the  officer  asked. 

"  Let  us  first  find  out  what  charge  is  brought  against  him.  A 
slave  has  accused  him  of  murder.  Let  the  slave  produce  his 
proof." 

"  That  is  right.  Let  the  slave  tell  what  he  knows  regarding 
the  senor,"  the  sergeant  said,  turning  to  the  wounded  man. 

"He  came  to  the  house  to-day  in  search  of  the  young  lady, 
and  was  invited  to  stop  all  night,"  the  fellow  replied,  still  keeping 
his  eyes  fixed  upon  me,  as  though  fearful  I  should  vanish  from 
his  sight.  "  He  wanted  the  lady  as  a  companion,  but  when  she 
refused,  and  called  upon  Antonio  and  myself  for  assistance,  he 
drew  his  pistol,  and  killed  Antonio  and  wounded  me.  Then  he 
fled." 

".Are  you  sure  that  you  speak  the  truth?  "  asked  the  sergeant. 

"May  the  saints  never  pardon  me,  senor,  if  1  speak  not  the 
truth.  Ask  the  lady  if  he  is  not  the  one." 

"  Well  thought  of,"  cried  the  officer,  with  a  nod  of  approbation. 
"  Woman,  look  upon  the  man,  and  tell  me  if  you  ever  saw  him 
before?" 

"Does  the  American  senor  desire  me  to  tell  all?"  she  asked, 
raising  her  voice,  and  looking  me  full  in  the  face  with  her  great, 
black  eyes. 

"  I  desire  you  to  speak  the  truth,"  I  said,  answering  for  the  first 
time. 

"  Well,  I  will  do  so  ;  not  for  the  purpose  of  saving  my  life,  but 
yours.  You  followed  me  home,  and  I  encouraged  you  to  re- 
main ;  the  negro  who  was  shot,  the  one  who  lies  there  wounded, 
and  the  one  who  sought  safety  by  giving  information  that  mur- 
der had  been  committed,  were  all  leagued  together  for  the  pur- 
pose of  robbery." 

"  Diablo,  but  this  grows  interesting,"*interrupted  the  sergeant. 
"  Have  you  written  all  down  ?  "  addressing  Francisco,  who  was 
writing. 


90  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

"  All.     Let  her  continue,"  was  the  answer. 

"  Go  on,  then." 

"  We  had  done  such  things  before,  and  when  resistance  was 
made,  Antonio  and  his  companions  have  not  hesitated  to  commit 
murder." 

44  It  is  a  lie  ! "  groaned  the  wounded  man.  "  She  is  trying  to 
shield  her  lover." 

"  Silence !  "  roared  the  sergeant.  "  Your  time  will  come  by 
and  by." 

44  Antonio  thought  I  had  a  fancy  for  the  American  gentle- 
man, and  he  determined  not  only  to  rob  him,  but  to  take  his  life. 
I  pleaded,  in  hopes  that  he  would  avoid  shedding  blood,  and  the 
negro  half  promised  that  my  wish  should  be  gratified.  It  was 
I  who  wished  to  fly  with  the  senor,  and  leave  the  company  in 
which  he  found  me." 

"  Traitress  !  "  groaned  the  wounded  slave.  '*  I  wish  that  we 
had  strangled  you  before  we  went  up  stairs." 

44  The  American  was  not  asleep,  as  they  expected,  and  was 
armed,  which  was  more  than  I  anticipated.  He  saw  two  men 
enter  his  room,  and  used  his  pistol.  I  fled  from  the  house  for 
fear  that  he  would  kill  me  during  his  rage,  and  now  I  ask  for  no 
mercy  for  what  I  have  done.  Others  may  beg  as  they  please  ; 
but  as  for  myself,  I  can  die,  if  necessary." 

44  By  the  saints,  but  this  is  a  marvellous  story ! "  exclaimed  the 
sergeant. 

44  And  you  believe  it  —  do  you  not?"  asked  Francisco. 

The  officer  scratched  his  head,  and  then  lighted  a  fresh  cigar, 
two  things  which  he  was  proficient  in. 

44  Did  I  not  tell  you  that  we  could  throw  some  light  upon  the 
matter?"  Francisco  asked.  44  My  friend  told  me  the  whole  cir- 
cumstance, and  I  informed  him  that  he  must  return  and  give  an 
account  of  the  matter,  or  the  Cuban  police  would  find  him,  let 
him  hide  where  he  would.  Was  I  not  right?  " 

44  Now,  by  the  saints,  but  that  is  the  first  sensible  word  I 
have  heard  you  utter  to-night,"  cried  the  sergeant,  swelling  with 
pride.  44  He  could  only  have  escaped  us  by  leaving  the  island, 
but  it  would  never  have  answered  for  him  to  return.  We  are 
keen  on  a  scent  as  a  bloodhound." 

Francisco  laughed  in  a  quiet  manner,  and  his  friends  followed 
his  example. 


THINGS    ARE   ARRANGED.  91 

"  Well,  what  do  you  propose  to  do  ?  "  asked  Francisco,  after  a 
moment's  pause,  addressing  the  sergeant. 

u  To  take  all  the  parties  to  Havana  and  lock  them  up,"  an- 
swered the  sergeant,  promptly. 

"  With  two  exceptions." 

"  Name  them,"  cried  the  'officer. 

"  My  friend,  the  American,  and  the  girl,  both  must  go  free." 

"  But  don't  you  understand  that  they  are  implicated  —  that 
they  must  be  tried?"  remonstrated,  the  sergeant. 

"  No,  I  don't  understand  any  such  thing,  and  you  won't  after 
heariog  me  a  few  moments.  What  crime  has  the  woman  com- 
mitted? She  entertained  »my  friend,  and  no  more.  Did  she 
raise  her  hand  against  him  in  any  manner?  Did  she  rob  him? 
He  has  his  money  on  his  person,  and  makes  no  complaint.  What 
has  she  done?  Why,  she  is  guilty  of  having  too  much  beauty; 
but  that  is  not  a  crime  in  a  Spanish  country.  She  is  therefore 
evidently  entitled  to  her  discharge.  This  you  cannot  deny." 

The  sergeant  resorted  to  his  old  dodge  when  he  was  puzzled. 
He  scratched  his  head,  and  lighted  a  fresh  cigar. 

"  In  regard  to  my  young  friend  here,"  Francisco  continued, 
"  he  defended  his  life  when  attacked  ;  and  where  is  the  Spaniard 
who  would  not  do  the  same  ?  If  there  is  one  in  this  room,  let  him 
speak?" 

The  soldiers  murmured  their  applause,,  and  the  sergeant  began 
to  relax  his  rigid  features.  He  looked  at  Francisco,  and  the  lat- 
ter looked  steadily  at  the  warrior. 

"  No,  no,  it  won't  do,"  murmured  the  soldier,  in  reply  to  some 
secret  sign  on  the  part  of  my  friend.  "  I  am  willing  to  help  you 
whenever  I  can,  but  in  this  instance  the  risk  is  too  great." 

"  Bah  !  you  are  growing  timid  in  your  old  age,  I  should  judge, 
or  else  you  don't  know  your  own  interests,  nor  care  for  those  of 
the  soldiers  under  your  charge." 

There  was  a  movement  on  the  part  of  the  men  that  looked  as 
though  they  were  inclined  to  think  the  same  way.  The  sergeant 
hesitated,  but  it  was  a  feeble  sort  of  hesitation  that  EJrancisco  was 
determined  to  take  advantage  of. 

"  Come,  let  us  have  a  quiet  talk  together  in  another  room," 
my  friend  said,  rising  and  taking  the  sergeant  'by  the  arm,  and 
nodding  to  me  to  follow. 

The  soldier  made  no  resistance,  but  he  left  orders  that  no  one 


92  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

was  to  leave  the  house,  or  be  admitted  during  his  absence.  As 
soon  as  we  reached  a  room  where  we  could  be  alone,  Francisco 
opened  the  conversation. 

"  My  friend,"  he  said,  "  I  am  going  to  give  you  six  ounces  of 
gold  for  assisting  us." 

"  I  am  sure  I  am  glad  to  think  that  such  is  to  be  the  case.  One 
ounce  I  shall  give  to  the  saints,  and  the  rest  to  the  poor." 

"  Bah  !  you  will  give  none  to  the  saints,  and  all  to  the  wine- 
shops ;  but  that  is  no  concern  of  ours.  My  friend  here  must  go 
clear,  and  no  suspicions  created  that  he  was  ever  concerned  in 
this  affair.  You  understand  ?  " 

The  sergeant  nodded  and  smiled.  "He  even  held  out  his  hand 
for  the  money. 

u  Another  condition  is  that  the  girl  goes  with  us,'*  added  Fran, 
cisco. 

"  Diablo  !  that  is  asking  too  much,"  muttered  the  soldier. 

"  Stupid !  don't  I  leave  the  negroes,  and  all  that  you  can  find 
in  the  house.  Are  not  two  enough  to  satisfy  justice?  I  have 
only  to  speak  to  your  superiors,  and  what  I  ask  would  be  done. 
You  know  it." 

'*  By  the  saints,  but  what  you  say  is  true.  Give  me  the 
money  and  go.  Say  nothing  to  the  men.  I  will  divide  with 
them." 

He  turned  to  leave  the  room,  but  I  detained  him. 

*'  If  the  girl  refuses  to  go  with  me,  I  shall  not  ask  for  her  re- 
lease. Let  that  be  understood  between  us." 

"  Of  course.     Make  what  bargain  you  please  with  her." 

"  Isadora,"  I  said,;"  seating  myself  close  beside  her,  so  that  no 
one  could  hear  my  remarks,  "  if  I  should  pardon  the  wrong  that 
you  have  done  me,  and  should  get  your  discharge,  would  you  go 
with  me  ?  " 

"  I  will,"  she  replied,  without  the  least  hesitation. 

"  And  will  you  be  true  to  me?  " 

"  May  the  saints  curse  me,  if  I  am  not,"  was  her  answer.  "  You 
are  the  only  man  I  ever  loved.  I  have  sinned,  but  let  my  devo- 
tion to  you  atone  for  it.  I  will  go  with  you." 

"  Well,  what  does  the  woman  say  ?  "  interrupted  the  sergeant. 
"  If  she  speaks  at  all,  it  must  be  quick.  Time  is  precious." 

"  She  will  go  with  ine,"  I  answered. 

I  led  Isadora  to  a  carriage,  the  sergeant  accompanying  us 
with  a  lantern. 


BACK   TO   HAVANA.  93 

"  You  need  fear  no  more  trouble  in  this  case,"  the  soldier  said. 
"If  our  men  should  meet  you  on  the  street,  they  will  not  recog- 
nize you,  but  you  must  not  feel  offended  on  that  score." 

I  promised  that  I  would  not,  and  with  Isadora  and  Francisco 
in  the  volante,  it  started  towards  Havana.  There  was  no  conver- 
sation until  the  volante  stopped  at  the  head  of  the  mole,  where  I 
got  out  and  assisted  Isadora  to  alight.  Half  a  dozen  boats  were 
lying  at  the  end  of  the  mole,  waiting  for  passengers,  and  I  intended 
to  take  one  and  pull  on  board  of  the  Coquette  without  delay,  but  a 
few  words  from  Francisco  altered  my  resolution. 

"  I  don't  want  to  persuade  you  to  act  against  your  will,"  he  said, 
"  but  if  you  will  follow  my  advice,  it  is  to  remain  on  shore,  and 
see  Murphy  in  the  morning.  He  will  not  feel  right  to-night,  and 
may  say  words  that  you  will  resent.  I  will  take  you  to  a  quiet 
cafe,  where  you  can  feel  at  home,  and  act  as  you  please." 

I  thought  of  the  matter  fora  moment,  and  concluded  that  Fran- 
cisco was  right.  We  again  entered  the  volante,  and  drove  to  a 
street  that  led  to  the  Plaza.  It  was  a  narrow  and  unpretending 
looking  thoroughfare,  and  the  house  before  which  we  stopped  had 
a  cigar  store  on  the  ground  floor,  but  the  only  customer  was  the 
proprietor,  and  he  was  puffing  away  most  vigorously. 

*'  Hallo,  Don  Sebastian,"  called  Francisco,  from  the  volante, 
".can  you  give  a  gentleman  and  lady  quarters  for  a  few  days?" 

Don  Sebastian  emitted  one  or  two  whiffs  before  he  gained  his 
feet  and  came  towards  us. 

"  Have  you  rooms  unoccupied,  Don  Sebastian  ?  "  asked  Fran- 
cisco. 

...  The  cigar  vender,  instead  of  replying,  looked  hard  at  Isad9ra, 
and  then  at  me,  with  his  head  on  one  side,  and  his  cigar  in  full 
blast,  ;; 

"  Is  he  shipped  ? "  asked  the  tobacconist,  pointing  with  his 
cigar  at  me. 

."Yes," 

"  Married?  "  he  continued,  nodding  his  head. 
.  .  *4  How  should  I  know  ?  "  Francisco  replied. 

"  Hum  —  yes,  I  have  rooms,  as  good  as  can  be  found  in  Ha- 
vana. They  can  have  them,  cigars  included,  for  thirty  dollars  a 
week.  How  is  that  ?  Is  it  not  cheap  ?  " 

"  I  take  them,"  I  cried,  getting  out  of  the  vehicle,  and  assisting 
Isadora. .  > 


94  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

"  Coffee  or  chocolate  at  seven,  breakfast  at  ten,  dinner  at  four, 
tea  and  coffee  at  nine,"  repeated  the  cigar  man,  with  his  head 
still  on  one  side,  and  not  the  least  excited  at  the  acceptance  of  his 
terms, 

"  All  right ;  lead  the  way  to  the  room,"  I  said. 

He  made  no  reply,  but  went  off  sideways  in  a  thoughtful  man- 
ner towards  the  rooms  which  we  were  to  occupy. 

Just  at  that  moment  a  fierce  cry  was  heard  in  the  street,  and 
we  listened  attentively. 

"  Death  to  the  filibusters  !  "  was  the  yell ;  and  it  was  taken  up 
and  shouted  iii  the  streets  and  from  the  windows,  and  from  every 
wine  and  cigar  shop  that  was  open  at  that  late  hour. 

We  rushed  to  the  windows,  and  even  Isadora  placed  herself  by 
my  side,  as  though  anxious  to  hear  what  was  going  on  in  the  city. 

"  Death  to  los  Americanos  !  Death  to  the  filibusters  !  "  were 
the  cries,  howled  out  by  poor  wretches,  who  seemed  to  have 
started  into  life  from  the  gutters,  so  ragged  and  fierce  did  they 
seem. 

"  Can  you  give  me  an  explanation,"  I  asked  of  Francisco. 

u  I  suppose  that  a  party  of  your  countrymen  has  paid  us  a  visit 
for  the  purpose  of  revolutionizing  the  island.  Ah,  there  goes  an 
acquaintance  of  mine.  I  will  ask  for  the  news." 

He  shouted  to  his  friend,  and  the  latter  halted  for  a  moment  to 
answer.  • 

"  Five  hundred  filibusters  captured,  and  two  hundred  killed." 
And  off  the  fellow  went  to  report  in  some  other  quarter. 

"  My  countrymen  are  unfortunate,"  I  said.  "  I  must  act  as  an 
American,  and  see  what  I  can  do  for  them.  Will  you  go  with 
me  ?  "  I  asked  of  Francisco. 

"  No,"  he  replied,  very  quietly,  "  for  we  could  do  no  good,  and 
you  might  injure  yourself  much.  It  is  no  time  for  Americans  to 
be  seen  on  the  streets.  Do  you  hear  that  cry  ?  " 

"  Death  to  the  Americans !  Death  to  the  fillibusters !  "  was 
shouted  in  the  street. 

I  could  not  help  confessing  that  what  my  friend  had  said  was 
true,  and  I  relinquished  my  plan  of  seeking  the  fillibusters.  We 
left  the  window  to  drink  coffee,  which  my  landlord  had  placed 
on  the  table,  but  still  in  the  streets  we  could  hear  that  terrible 
cry,— 

"  Death  to  the  Americans  !     Death  to  the  fillibusters  ! " 


THE   FILIBUSTERS.  95 

"  I  will  call  during  the  forenoon,"  Francisco  said,  after  taking 
a  cup  of  coffee,  "  and  in  the  mean  time  I  wish  you  much  happi- 
ness. Good  night." 

He  was  gone,  and  Isadora  and  myself  were  left  alone,  for  the 
landlord  had  retired  to  his  shop,  and  was  carrying  on  a  brisk 
trade. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

p 

GARROTING   FILIBUSTERS. DEATH  OF  LOPEZ. GETTING  READY 

FOR   SAILING. A   ROW,    AND    WHAT    CAME    OF   IT. 

IT  was  about  six  o'clock  the  next  morning  when  the  tobacconist 
knocked  at  my  door,  and  informed  me  that  coffee  was  on  the  table, 
and  awaited  my  pleasure.  I  took  no  notice,  so  at  nine  o'clock 
there  was  a  pounding  upon  the  door  that  did  not  resemble  the 
gentle  knocks  of  my  landlord.  It  was  Murphy  ;  but  how  had  he 
discovered  my  retreat  at  so  early  an  hour  ? 

"  What  brings  you  on  shore?  "  I  asked. 

u  Why,  to  tell  you  the  news.  A  party  of  filibusters  has  been 
taken,  down  on  the  east  coast,  and  half  a  dozen  of  them  are  to  be 
garroted  on  the  Plaza  this  forenoon.  Do  you  want  to  see  the 
execution,  or  had  you  rather  stay  away?" 

"  At  what  time  does  it  take  place  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  At  eleven,  and  it  is  half  past  nine  now.  Soldiers  are  already 
marching  to  the  Plaza,  and  taking  up  positions." 

"  I  will  go  with  you,  but  first  sit  down  and  take  a  cup  of  coffee 
with  me.  By  that  time  I  shall  be  ready,"  I  replied. 

44  But  where  is  the  female?  Where  is  the  craft  that  hoisted 
false  colors,  and  led  you  into  the  enemy's  harbor?  Let  me  have 
a  fair  look  at  her  figure-head  and  build." 

Just  that  moment  Isadora,  looking  as  beautiful  as  Venus,  en- 
tered the  room.  The  captain  started  to  his  feet,  and  bowed  in 
silent  admiration.  He  supposed  that  she  was  some  lady  con- 
nected with  the  house. 

"  Say,  Robert,"  the  captain  exclaimed,  in  a  whisper ;  "  what 
a  figure-head  and  hull !  Blast  me  if  she  ain't  a  full  rigged  clipper, 
and  no  mistake.  What  a  run,  and  what  counters  ! " 


96  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

"  How  would  you  like  to  sail  with  such  a  craft  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  O  Lord !  "  he  groaned,  "  the  thought  of  it  takes  my  breath 
away.  If  she  would  say  splice,  I  would  give  a  year's  pay,  and 
think  myself  a  happy  man." 

"  And  you  would  leave  the  sea?  "  I  asked. 

"  No,  I  don't  say  that  I  would  do  that ;  but  I  would  take  her 
with  me,  and  never  lose  sight  of  her." 

"  Captain,"  I  said,  taking  Isadora  by  the  hand,  and  speaking 
in  Spanish,  "  let  me  introduce  to  you  my  affinity." 

"  Your  what?"  roared  Murphy. 

"  My  affinity,"  I  repeated. 

"  Your  affinity?     And  what  in  the  devil's  name  is  that?" 

"  Why,  the  girl  for  whom  I  have  a  warm  attachment,  and  who 
has  the  same  for  me." 

"  Humph  —  that's  affinity,  is  it?  Well,  I've  heard  it  called  by 
many  names,  but  if  affinity  only  brings  you  together,  I  s'pose  that 
it's  as  good  a  name  as  any." 

The  captain,  while  drinking  his  coffee,  could  not  remove  his 
eyes  from  Isadora's  face. 

"  Well,"  he  said,  at  length,  "•  you  have  taken  a  prize,  and  I 
should  value  her  more  than  a  hundred  niggers,  in  prime  order. 
But  now  that  you  have  got  her,  what  are  you  going  to  do  with 
her?" 

This  was  the  topic  which  I  had  desired  to  broach.  . 

"  I  will  tell  you  what  I  propose  to  do,"  I  said  at  length,  speak- 
ing slow  and  distinct.  "  I  intend  to  resign  my  berth  on  board 
the  Coquette,  and  enjoy  myself  on  shore." 

"  The  devil  you  do  ! "  cried  the  captain,  turning  very  red  in  the 
face. 

"  Wouldn't  you  do  the  same  thing?"  I  asked. 

"  No,  by  thunder  !  I  would  not  ruin  myself  for  any  woman  liv- 
ing. Are  you  crazy  ?  Ain't  you  making  money  ten  times  as  fast 
as  you  can  make  it  in  the  merchant  service  ?  " 

The  captain  grew  warm,  and  walked  the  room  as  though  upon 
the  quarter-deck  of  the  Coquette.  Isadora  did  not  understand 
the  English  language,  but  she  knew  that  we  were  talking  about 
her,  and  she  came  and  placed  herself  by  my  side,  and  leaned  upon 
my  shoulder. 

"  Hullo !  Darn  me,  if  she  is  not  beating  up  to  windward," 
Murphy  said,  looking  at  the  very  pleasing  picture  which  we 
formed. 


A   BARGAIN.  97 

"  That  is  the  way  we  shall  always  sail  together,"  I  replied ; 
"  for  a  good  consort  to  fall  back  upon,  is  like  a  port  in  a  storm/* 

The  captain  took  a  seat  at  the  table,  and  called  for  a  third  cup 
of  coffee. 

"Are  you  really  in  earnest  in  this  matter  ?"  he  asked ;  "or 
what  do  you  want?  More  pay?  If  so,  say  the  word,  and  you 
shall  have  it.  But  don't  leave  me  in  this  way,  'cos  I  like  you ; 
and  recollect  how  you  stuck  to  me  when  that  old  elephant  was 
close  upon  my  heels.  Say  what  you  want." 

"  Well,  in  the  first  place,  I  won't  part  with  Isadora  at  any  rate." 

"  Go  on,"  growled  the  captain,  grinding  his  teeth,  and  sup- 
pressing an  oath. 

"  In  the  next  place,  if  I  go  in  the  Coquette,  Isadora  will  go 
with  me." 

"  The  devil  she  will !  "  thundered  Murphy,  with  a  start  of  as- 
tonishment. 

"  On  no  other  grounds  will  I  leave  Havana." 

The  captatn  sprung  to  his  feet,  and  walked  the  room,  without 
speaking  a  word. 

"  Well,  your  answer  ?  "  I  said,  quite  calmly. 

"  But  think  of  the  danger  that  she  will  be  exposed  to.  Fever 
and  bloodshed  are  not  pleasing  companions  for  a  woman,"  Mur- 
phy replied. 

"  She  is  willing  to  endure  all  for  my  sake,"  I  answered. 

"  Then  for  Heaven's  sake,  let  her  go  with  us  ;  but  she  must  pass 
as  your  sister  or  wife,  to  prevent  the  crew  from  being  uncivil." 

I  told  Isadora  the  result  of  the  interview,  and  then  took  my 
hat.  She  hung  upon  my  arm,  and  around  my  neck,  as  though 
she  feared  to  trust  my  person  from  her  presence,  even  for  a  mo*- 
ment. 

"  Do  you  forgive  me  for  my  conduct  yesterday  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  Of  course  I  do,"  I  replied,  pressing  her  to  my  heart,  and 
kissing  her  red  lips. 

"  And  you  will  ever  love  me  ?  "  she  whispered. 

"  Always,"  I  said,  most  fervently ;  and  I  thought  so  at  the 
time,  and  was  sincere  in  what  I  then  said. 

I  took  Murphy's  arm,  and  we  reached  the  street. 

"  Tell  me,  in  the  name  of  all  that  is  good  and  holy,  how  you 
have  managed  to  make  that  girl  love  you  so?  " 

I  laughed,  and  made  no  reply. 
7 


98 

"  I  envy  you,"  Murphy  continued. 

"  I  have  no  doubt  of  it." 

"  Francisco  told  me  this  morning  something  of  your  pranks 
last  night.  Now  give  me  the  whole  account." 

As  we  walked  along  through  the  streets,  which  were  crowded 
with  people,  all  hurrying  towards  the  Plaza,  I  gave  Murphy  a 
detailed  statement  of  the  matter.  We  drifted  along  with  the  cur- 
rent, sometimes  meeting  with  scowling  faces,  and  being  sharply 
scrutinized  by  wretches  who  would  have  shed  our  blood  as  freely 
as  water  if  they  had  known  we  were  Americans.  But  it  was  for 
our  interest  to  pass  as  Englishmen  ;  and  whenever  a  Cuban,  more 
inquisitive  than  his  fellows,  questioned  us,  we  would  give  them  a 
specimen  of  British  impudence,  and  it  was  satisfactory. 

We  could  hear  cries  of  "Death  to  the  fillibusters  —  death!" 
even  from  the  Plaza,  and  we  could  see  the  crowd  surging  to  and 
fro,  while  long  lines  of  bayonets  glittered  in  the  sun,  and  the 
strains  of  a  military  band  could  be  heard,  when  not  drowned  by 
the  fierce  shouts  of  the  crowd,  who  were  thirsting  for  blood,  and 
would  liked  to  have  seen  it  run  in  torrents  through  the  streets. 
We  made  our  way  slowly  through  the  crowd,  taking  good  care 
to  offend  no  one  if  possible  ;  but  just  as  we  reached  the  building 
which  fronted  the  Plaza,  where  Murphy  had  secured  seats  at  a 
window,  a  dark,  long-haired  wretch,  with  torn  shirt  and  blood- 
shot eyes,  rushed  towards  us. 

"  You  are  Americans  !  "  he  shouted,  stepping  in  front  of  us,  and 
flourishing  a  long  knife. 

The  cry  attracted  attention,  and  in  a  second  we  were  in  the 
centre  of  a  confused  group,  every  man  of  them  carrying  a  knife 
that  looked  as  though  sharpened  expressly  for  murderous  work. 

"  We  are  Englishmen,"  I  replied,  as  calmly  as  possible. 

"  Death  to  the  Americans !  Death  to  the  fillibusters  !  "  cried 
the  man  who  had  first  obstructed  our  path. 

The  crowd  re-echoed  the  cries,  and  pressed  towards  us,  flourish- 
ing their  knives. 

"  Death  to  the  Americans  !  "  shouted  the  leader  of  the  gang  ; 
and  aimed  a  blow  at  Murphy's  breast,  which  would  have  taken 
effect  had  I  not  struck  up  his  arm,  while  the  knife  passed  over  the 
captain's  shoulder. 

In  an  instant  Murphy  grasped  the  fellow  around  his  waist, 
raised  him  from  the  ground  as  easily  as  though  he  was  a  child, 


IN   PERIL.  99 

and  dashed  him  upon  his  advancing  comrades,  who  suddenly  re- 
coiled under  the  shock,  and  thus  gave  us  a  few  minutes*  time  to 
prepare  ourselves  for  the  attack  which  we  anticipated. 

"  Death  to  the  Americans  —  death  ! "  was  the  cry,  as  the  fel- 
low picked  himself  from  the  gutter,  and  sought  for  his  knife  which, 
fortunately,  had  fallen  from  his  hand. 

"  Death  to  the  Americans  !  "  the  crowd  responded  ;  and  bright 
blades  glittered  in  the  sun,  and  were  waved  menacingly  towards  us. 

We  had  our  revolvers  in  our  pockets,  but  we  knew  what  the 
penalty  would  be  if  we  used  them.  Once  I  thought  that  I  would 
test  the  efficiency  of  gunpowder  and  ball,  and  fire  upon  the  ad- 
vancing ruffians  ;  but  Murphy  stopped  me. 

'*  It  ain't  time  for  the  barkers,"  he  said.  *'  If  we  must  sell 
our  lives,  we  can  do  so  by  and  by.  Let  me  see  if  I  can't  manage 
them  first." 

"We  edged  away  so  that  we  got  our  backs  to  the  wall,  and 
thus  prevented  an  attack  in  the  rear  ;  and  when  we  saw  that  the 
crowd  was  encircling  us,  and  gradually  drawing  nearer  and  nearer, 
the  most  cowardly  among  them,  gathering  courage  from  our 
quiescent  state,  Murphy  thought  that  the  time  had  arrived  for 
him  to  speak. 

u  Cubans,"  he  shouted,  "  we  are  Englishmen,  and  belong  to 
the  man-of-war  now  in  port.  Beware  how  you  -lay  a  finger  upon 
the  queen's  subjects.  Our  deaths  will  be  fearfully  avenged." 

The  ruffians  stopped  in  their  advanced  course,  and  looked  at 
each  other  for  counsel. 

"  Cry  death  to  the  fillibusters,  and  we  shall  believe  you,"  the 
ruffian,  whom  Murphy  had  overthrown,  said. 

"  Is  that  all  you  want?"  the  captain  bellowed.  "  Don't  you 
see  that  we  are  of  your  mind,  by  being  here  to  witness  the  death 
of  the  rascals.  What  more  would  you  have?" 

"  Nothing  more.     We  are  friends  with  the  English." 

The  ruffians  left  us  to  pursue  our  course,  but  we  could  hear 
them  shout  at  various  times  as  they  sought  for  victims. 

We  passed  up  a  flight  of  steps,  and  knocked  at  a  door,  which 
was  opened  by  a  Cuban,  who  was  old,  gray,  and  wrinkled. 

"  You  are  late,  senors,"  he  said,  as  we  entered. 

*'  Yes  ;  a  few  of  your  countrymen  took  it  into  their  heads  that 
our  hides  wanted  ventilating,"  Murphy  replied. 

"  The  boys  are  lively  this  morning,"  the  Cuban  said,  with  a 
grim  smile  ;  and  offered  us  cigars  and  a  glass  of  wine. 


100 

There  was  a  sudden  shout,  like  the  howl  of  wild  beasts,  from 
the  crowd,  and  we  looked  from  a  window  and  saw  what  occa- 
sioned it 

In  the  centre  of  the  Plaza  a  large  platform  had  been  erected 
during  the  night,  and  on  it  were  four  upright  posts,  or  what  re- 
sembled the  same  from  the  position  we  occupied.  Around  this 
platform  was  a  regiment  of  soldiers.  They  were  drawn  up  in  the 
form  of  a  square ;  and  what  was  singular,  instead  of  facing  the 
platform,  the  troops  fronted  the  crowd,  and  held  their  muskets 
ready  loaded  and  bayonets  in  place. 

The  noise  which  attracted  our  attention  was  the  entrance  upon 
the  Plaza  of  a  second  regiment  of  foot,  escorting  four  prisoners, 
who  were  pinioned  and  guarded  by  double  lines  of  soldiers  on  each 
side.  Near  each  of  the  unfortunate  filibusters  walked  bare- 
headed priests,  who  were  endeavoring  to  administer  the  last  rites 
of  their  religious  creed.  But  there  was  one  prisoner,  a  tall,  dark 
man,  with  erect  form  and  undaunted  bearing,  who  seemed  to  pay 
but  slight  attention  to  his  ghostly  confessor. 

"  Death  to  the  filibusters  —  death  !  "  roared  the  mighty  crowd  ; 
and  it  swayed  to  and  fro,  all  anxious  to  get  a  glimpse  of  Gen- 
eral Lopez,  whose  name  had  caused  such  terror  throughout 
the  island  but  a  few  days  before,  when  he  had  landed  with  but 
a  handful  of  men,  and  with  scant  material,  for  the  purpose  of 
giving  freedom  of  speech  and  liberty  to  the  Cubans ;  while  the 
return  that  was  made  him  was  desertion  and  execrations  of  con- 
tempt. 

As  those  sounds,  issuing  from  ten  thousand  throats,  struck  the 
ear  of  the  leader,  his  step  grew  more  confident,  his  bearing  more 
bold.  He  cast  looks  of  the  deepest  contempt  upon  the  rabble,  and 
even  smiled  when  one  ruffian  shouted  the  information  that  his 
death  was  to  be  speedy  and  terrible.  His  three  companions  also 
showed  their  fearlessness  by  walking  without  faltering,  but  they 
seemed  more  intent  upon  the  words  of  the  priest  than  earthly 
affairs. 

" Do  you  see  him?"  whispered  the  old  Cuban,  whose  room  we 
occupied,  speaking  to  Murphy. 

"  Of  course  I  do,"  was  the  answer. 

"  Does  he  quail  —  does  he  falter  ?  God  help  him,  and  strengthen 
him.  I  cannot  see  him,  for  my  eyes  are  dim,  and  have  lost  the 
power  of  their  youth.  Tell  me  how  he  looks." 


DEATH   OF   LOPEZ.  101 

The  old  man's  eyes  were  indeed  dim,  but  not  with  age.  Tears 
flowed  from  them,  and  obscured  his  sight. 

"  He  looks  like  a  man  who  is  not  afraid  to  die,"  was  Mur- 
phy's reply. 

"  Does  he  look  at  the  crowd  as  though  he  sought  the  face  of  a 
friend?"  the  old  Cuban  asked. 

"  He  often  squints  this  way,  as  though  expecting  a  squall. 
But  he  makes  no  sign  that  he  ever  knew  a  face  before." 

"  He  is  looking  for  me,"  cried  the  old  man,  starting  up  and 
walking  the  room  impatiently.  "  I  told  him  that  I  would  receive 
him  on  the  Plaza  with  ten  thousand  men.  Alas !  the  men  are 
there,  but  not  the  kind  I  expected.  We  have  been  deceived,  and 
money  and  blood  have  been  wasted  without  any  good  result. 
Woe  is  me  !  I  should  have  known  better.  Deceived  —  deceived." 

"  Death  to  the  filibusters  —  death  !  "  was  the  roar  that  ascended 
to  our  window. 

"  And  these  men  want  liberty,"  muttered  the  old  man,  with  a 
shudder.  "  Thank  the  saints,  all  are  not  like  them.  If  they  were 
I  should  despair.  No,  some  on  the  island  must  be  sincere." 

Murphy  looked  at  the  old  man  with  an  expression  of  pity,  but 
made  no  remark.  Again  the  drums  resounded  and  the  Cuban 
showed  his  anxiety  to  know  the  meaning  of  the  noise. 

"  The  chief  is  attempting  to  speak,  but  the  drums  drown  his 
voice,  and  the  crowd  hears  not  a  word,"  I  said. 

"  The  cowards !  they  fear  that  his  words  will  burn  like  fire, 
and  change  the  hearts  of  his  enemies." 

The  drums  suddenly  ceased,  and  the  old  man  raised  his  head 
quickly,  with  an  inquiring  look. 

"  Has  he  ceased  to  speak?  "  he  asked. 

"  He  has,  and  all  the  prisoners  have  taken  their  seats,"  replied 
Murphy. 

"  Go  on,"  gasped  the  Cuban. 

"  They  adjust  iron  bands  around  their  necks,  and  execu- 
tioners are  waiting  for  the  signal.  The  crowd  is  now  silent  as 
death,  anxious  to  feast  their  eyes  upon  the  dying  struggles  of  the 
prisoners.  A  mother  holds  her  child  aloft,  so  that  its  young  eyes 
may  witness  the  spectacle,  as  though  it  was  one  of  pleasure. 
There  is  the  signal.  The  executioners  turn  their  levers.  The 
chief  and  his  comrades  are  dead,"  Murphy  said,  turning  from  the 
window  with  a  sigh. 


102 

The  Cuban  made  no  reply.  He  was  upon  his  knees,  praying 
and  weeping  as  though  his  heart  would  break. 

"  Courage,  man,"  the  captain  said,  laying  a  hand  lightly  upon 
his  shoulder,  "  With  the  death  of  Lopez,  all  hope  of  freedom  for 
Cuba  is  not  lost.  His  blood  is  but  seed.  It  will  spring  up,  and 
yet  flourish." 

The  old  man  rocked  his  body  to  and  fro,  and  groaned. 

"  But  I  was  true,"  he  said,  at  length,  looking  up  ;  "I  did  not 
desert  him  in  his  hour  of  extremity.  You  know  that  I  offered 
last  night  ten  thousand  dollars  if  his  guards  would  permit  his 
escape.  But  they  refused  me.  You  know  that.  Say  that  you 
know  that  I  have  done  my  duty,  and  that  no  stain  rests  upon  my 
name." 

"  You  have  done  more  than  your  duty,"  Murphy  said,  sooth- 
ingly. "  If  all  were  like  you,  I  should  have  no  fear.  But,  un- 
fortunately, they  are  not.  Now  keep  quiet,  and  save  your  strength 
and  money  until  a  fitting  moment  arrives ;  and  when  it  does,  I 
hope  I  shall  be  found  on  your  side." 

"  Your  advice  is  good,  and  I  will  think  much  of  it,"  the  Cuban 
replied,  after  a  short  silence.  uThe  saints  have  you  in  their 
keeping,  senors." 

He  bowed  us  out  of  the  room  as  though  he  longed  to  be  alone. 

"  Who  is  the  old  gentleman  ?  "  I  asked  of  Murphy,  when  we 
had  gained  the  street,  and  were  walking  in  the  direction  of  my 
lodging. 

"  That  is  Don  Alberto,"  my  companion  replied,  sinking  his 
voice  to  a  whisper,  so  that  the  crowd  could  not  overhear  the  re- 
ply. "  He  has  spent  thousands  of  dollars  for  the  cause,  and 
would  spend  thousands  more  if  a  definite  result  were  promised,  or 
even  hinted  at.  He  is  worth,  or  was,  three  millions  of  dollars  ; 
but  he  is  reckless  of  his  property  while  pursuing  the  phantom 
which  he  is  in  search  of." 

"  He  has  lost  a  son  in  the  cause,"  I  said. 

*'  Not  in  the  cause  ;  but  that  loss  was  one  thing  which  urged 
him  to  seek  independence  for  Cuba.  His  son  was  executed  for  too 
freely,  using  his  tongue  against  the  present  government.  He  was 
a  gallant  young  fellow,  and  died  like  a  hero." 

"  You  have  served  the  old  man  some  time  or  other,"  I  said. 

"  Well,  yes ;  I  did  do  a  few  things  which  helped  him,  and  I 
got  my  pay  for  all  that  I  did." 


A   WELCOME   RETURN.  103 

By  this  time  we  were  near  my  lodging,  and  my  heart  beat 
quickly  at  the  thought  of  again  meeting  Isadora,  although  I  had 
been  parted  from  her  but  three  hours. 

"  You  young  dog,"  the  captain  said,  "  you  are  trembling  like  a 
topsail  half  sheeted  home.  You  have  taken  the  bait,  hook  and 
sinker ;  but  hang  me  if  she  is  not  worthy  of  your  love  as  far  as 
good  looks  are  concerned,  for  a  prettier  figure-head  I  never  saw." 

We  met  the  tobacconist  at  the  door,  still  smoking  a  cigar,  and 
carrying  his  head  on  one  side,  as  usual. 

"  Ah,  senors,"  he  said,  "  glad  to  see  you.  Breakfast  is  all 
ready,  and  has  been  for  an  hour.  Saw  the  execution,  I  suppose. 
Did  they  die  easy?  Sad  fate,  but  a  just  one.  No  filibusters  can 
live  on  the  soil  of  Cuba.  We  are  happy  as  we  are.  Plenty  of 
cigars,  dulces,  fruit,  and  wine.  What  more  can  we  ask  for?" 

"  Too  much,"  muttered  Murphy.  "  You  lead  such  lazy  lives 
that  no  chance  for  noble  thoughts  can  find  entrance  to  your 
bosoms.  A  few  more  storms  would  put  energy  in  your  blood." 

At  the  head  of  the  stairs  was  Isadora.  She  had  heard  my 
voice,  and  came  to  greet  me.  She  caught  sight  of  my  face, 
smiled,  and  opened  her  arms.  I  bounded  up  the  stairs,  clasped 
her  to  my  bosom,  and  covered  her  face  with  kisses. 

The  captain  was  easily  persuaded  to  remain  and  take  break- 
fast ;  and  the  landlord  had  not  spoken  unadvisedly,  when  he  said 
that  he  would  please  our  palates  with  something  to  eat  of  an 
agreeable  description.  Murphy,  whose  appetite  was  sharpened 
by  a  long  fast,  did  justice  to  the  fare  that  was  spread  before  him, 
and  made  himself  as  agreeable  as  possible. 

"  I  have  one  piece  of  pleasing  information,"  Murphy  said,  as 
we  lighted  our  cigars.  "  I  have  managed  to  get  rid  of  Ruez,  and 
when  we  sail  he  will  be  left  behind!  This  will  give  us  more 
room  in  the  cabin,  and  I'm  certain  will  be  agreeable  to  yourself 
and  sister." 

This  was  the  first  time  that  the  captain  had  called  Isadora  my 
sister,  and  I  must  confess  that  I  blushed  lightly  when  the  word 
was  pronounced ;  for  much  as  I  loved  my  mistress,  still,  for  a 
family  relation,  I  considered  that  another  sort  of  person  would 
be  preferable. 

The  captain,  having  some  important  duty  to  attend  to,  left  us, 
and  his  place  was  supplied  by  Francisco,  who  called  to  congratu- 
late us,  and  inquire  after  our  healths. 


104  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

As  we  were  expecting  to  sail  the  next  day,  I  considered  that 
it  was  incumbent  upon  me  to  make  a  few  arrangements  for  the 
comfort  of  Isadora.  There  were  many  things  to  be  purchased, 
and  many  little  luxuries  to  be  obtained,  which  I  knew  would 
prove  acceptable  at  sea ;  as  I  consulted  her  happiness  as  much 
as  my  own,  I  ordered  a  volantc,  and  we  drove  to  several 
shops  where  female  apparel  was  to  be  obtained  ready  made. 
From  the  milliner's  we  visited  the  dulce  vendor,  and  here  Isadora 
was  in  her  element.  Like  all  women,  she  preferred  something 
sweet  to  the  substantial  fare  of  life,  and  ordered  sweetmeats 
enough  to  have  a  daily  supply  during  the  voyage ;  then  we  con- 
cluded to  take  a  short  ride  over  the  city,  and  see  as  much  of  it 
as  possible  during  my  short  stay  on  shore. 

44  Isadora,"  I  said,  as  we  drove  along  through  the  streets  on 
Our  way  to  the  country,  -*'  you  have  not  told  me  your  history,  or 
whether  you  have  friends  residing  in  Havana.  Now  is  a  good 
opportunity  to  confide  in  me.  Tell  me  all.  Faults  and  misfor- 
tunes will  be  excused  by  one  who  loves  you  as  I  do." 

"  I  have  neither  parents  nor  friends,"  she  said.  "I  was  left  alone 
in  the  world  at  the  age  of  five,  and  from  that  time  until  the  present 
I  have  been  restless  and  dissatisfied  with  myself.  I  was  received 
in  the  house  of  a  lady  of  this  city  after  the  death  of  my  parents ; 
and  my  work  consisted  in  taking  care  of  children,  and  making  my- 
self their  slave.  For  six  years  I  resided  with  her  family,  but  was 
compelled  to  leave  her  house,  because  her  husband,  a  man  old 
enough  to  be  my  grandfather,  one  day  insulted  me  with  improp- 
er liberties,  so  his  conduct  was-  reported  to  his  wife.  Me  she 
blamed,  and  not  the  person  who  should  have  protected  me.  I 
was  summoned  to  her  presence,  and  loaded  with  reproaches  for 
my  ingratitude,  and  was  even  threatened  with  chastisement  for 
listening  to  words  which  I  had  no  power  to  prevent  being  uttered. 

"  I  brooded  over  my  wrongs,  young  as  I  was,  and  studied  for 
revenge  upon  my  haughty  mistress  ;  and  at  length  I  had  it.  Be- 
fore many  days  after  the  scene  which  I  have  described,  my  mas- 
ter, Don  Bazan,  again  pestered  me  with  his  attentions ;  but  this 
time  he  was  more  circumspect  and  cautious  in  his  advances.  He 
chose  opportunities  when  no  one  was  present  to  watch  his  pro- 
ceedings, and  report  them  to  his  wife.  Will  you  believe  me, 
I  dissembled,  and  so  took  my  first  lessons  in  deception.  I 
pretended  to  encourage  Don  Bazan,  and  even  listened  to  his 


ISADORA'S  HISTORY.  105 

proposals,  but  never  promised  him,  or  gave  him  an  opportunity  to 
surprise  me,  and  take  by  force  that  which  he  could  not  obtain  by 
persuasion.  I  will  not  tell  you  how  many  times  I  escaped  by  my 
watchfulness,  how  many  times  a  cup  of  drugged  wine  was  offered 
me  and  thrown  away,  how  even  fruit  was  tampered  with,  and 
placed  in  my  way  in  hopes  that  I  should  be  overcome,  and  there- 
by fall  an  easy  prey  to  an  old  man's  passion  and  depravity.  Even 
in  the  latter  attempt  the  blow  recoiled  upon  the  head  of  the  framer 
of  the  project ;  for  one  of  his  children  ate  heartily  of  the  doctored 
fruit,  was  seized  with  convulsions,  and  died  a  miserable  death. 
There  was  no  investigation,  but  I  could  see  by  the  Don's  face 
he  was  fearful  of  an  inquiry,  and  therefore  hurried  the  interment 
ceremonies  as  fast  as  possible.  But  an  old  man's  passion  is 
stronger  than  a  young  man's  love,  and  even  after  the  death  of  his 
child  I  did  not  escape  his  attentions.  I  encouraged  him  and  co- 
quetted with  him  until  he  grew  desperate,  and  was  ready  to  sac- 
rifice home  and  wife  for  me.  For  this  I  had  waited,  and  when  all 
was  ready  for  the  denouement,  I  informed  his  wife,  led  her  dis- 
guised in  my  clothes  to  a  rendezvous  to  wait  for  her  husband, 
and  then,  with  the  money  and  jewels  which  the  Don  had  given 
me,  fled  from  his  house,  and  commenced  my  career  as  a  child 
of  fortune." 

The  volante  passed  the  barriers  of  the  city,  and  was  on  the 
road  leading  to  the  house  where  I  had  introduced  myself  to  Isa- 
dora. I  would  have  avoided  the  scene  of  the  tragedy,  but  it  was 
too  late.  I  had  been  so  engaged  with  the  lady's  history  that  I 
had  not  noticed  the  road  which  the  driver  took,  and  it  was  not 
until  we  were  directly  opposite  the  house  that  Isadora  caught  a 
glimpse  of  it. 

"  O,  my  friend  !  "  she  cried,  "  why  did  you  bring  me  here  ?  Do 
I  not  already  suffer  for  my  past  deeds  ?  " 

She  grew  calm  at  length,  and  then  told  me  how  she  happened 
to  become  an  inmate  of  the  house. 

"  After  I  fled  from  the  residence  of  Don  Bazan,  I  engaged  my- 
self as  waiter  in  a  confectionery  establishment ;  but  before  I  had 
remained  there  two  weeks,  from  some  unknown  source  whispers 
regarding  my  reputation  were  circulated,  and  I  was  compelled  to 
leave.  I  tried  my  fortune  in  other  places,  but  still  I  was  driven 
from  them  by  the  same  whispers  which  I  could  not  trace  to  any 
source.  I  grew  mad  with  the  world,  and  desperate  ;  and  while  I 


106  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

was  in  that  state  of  mind  a  rich  Spaniard  saw  me,  loved  me,  and 
made  proposals.  I  accepted,  and  was  no  longer  able  to  pray  to 
the  saints  to  have  me  in  their  keeping.  For  three  years  I  re- 
mained with  my  friend,  and  then  death  left  me  once  more  free, 
but  still  not  so  destitute  as  when  I  had  met  my  protector.  He 
left  me  a  small  sum  of  money  and  a  few  jewels ;  and  while  I  was 
deliberating  what  I  should  do,  Antonio,  whose  freedom  had  been 
granted  at  the  death  of  my  friend  and  his  master,  made  proposals 
which  I  first  rejected,  but  at  length  accepted.  Of  the  dark  deeds 
committed  by  them  I  have  some  knowledge.  I  interceded  for 
you,  because  I  took  a  fancy  to  you,  but  with  little  thought  that 
our  acquaintance  was  to  be  continued.  I  have  now  told  you 
all  —  my  faults  and  my  sins,  and  I  hope  that  by  so  doing  I  have 
lost  none  of  your  respect,  or  what  is  of  more  importance,  your 
love." 

Of  course  I  protested  that  she  had  not. 

Upon  reaching  our  lodgings,  the  tobacconist  handed  me  a  letter 
from  Murphy,  stating  that  the  schooner  would  sail  the  next  day, 
and  hinting  that  if  I  was  disposed  to  invest  a  few  hundred  dollars 
in  articles  for  traffic,  I  could  do  so  with  his  full  consent.  I 
thought  of  the  matter,  and  concluded  that  my  money  would  be 
safer  on  land  than  sea ;  and  as  I  had  but  little  time  for  action,  I 
visited  my  banker,  and  made  arrangements  that  all  the  funds 
which  he  held  for  me  should  be  sent  to  the  United  States,  and 
consigned  to  the  hands  of  a  friend  whom  I  could  trust,  and  who 
would  do  as  well  by  me  as  he  would  for  himself.  That  part  of 
my  duties  over,  I  returned  to  my  rooms,  and  dined  in  company 
with  Isadora  and  my  friend  Francisco. 

Francisco  did  not  wish  to  remain  long,  probably  from  motives 
of  delicacy.  I  pressed  him  strongly  to  stop  through  the  evening, 
and  at  length  he  consented,  provided  we  would  visit  the  Tacon 
Theatre,  and  witness  the  opera  which  was  being  performed  at 
that  establishment,  and  attracting  the  most  fashionable  society. 
I  should  have  declined,  had  I  not  observed,  by  the  expression  of 
Isadora's  eyes,  that  she  was  delighted  at  the  idea,  and  on  question- 
ing her,  I  found  her  eyes  were  but  the  mirrors  of  her  heart. 

We  found  our  seats  were  in  a  very  commanding  position  of 
the  house,  and  took  possession  of  them  in  a  quiet  manner,  and 
adjusted  ourselves  for  an  evening's  entertainment.  Unfortunate- 
ly, however,  for  that  plan,  four  English  naval  officers  entered  the 


AT   THE    OPERA.  107 

box  next  to  us,  and  took  seats.  I  saw  at  a  glance  that  the  men 
had  been  dining  late,  and  drinking  freely ;  and  knowing  the  char- 
acter of  the  English  in  foreign  countries,  I  gave  up  all  hope  of 
comfort  or  amusement  for  that  evening,  and  I  was  not  disap- 
pointed ;  for  hardly  had  the  Britons  taken  their  seats,  and  stared 
around  the  house,  than  their  glances  fell  upon  Isadora. 

"  Blast  me,  Fred,  but  that  is  a  pretty  face  —  here  in  the  box 
next  to  us.  Look  at  her."  ^ 

The  speaker  spoke  in  English  to  his  companions,  so  that  Fran- 
cisco and  Isadora  did  not  understand  him  ;  but  I  did,  and  listened, 
without  seeming  to. 

"  Curse  me,  if  you  ain't  right.  She  is  some  on  upper  works, 
and  no  mistake.  Who  is  she?" 

"  Don't  know  —  would  like  to." 

For  a  while  the  officers  confined  themselves  to  their  own  affairs, 
and  talked  about  the  superior  qualities  of  their  vessel  —  her  rapid 
sailing,  and  how  easy  it  would  be  to  whip  one  or  two  Yankee 
ships  on  the  station  ;  but  as  time  passed  it  produced  no  effect  in 
diminishing  their  intoxication. 

"  Come,"  said  Francisco,  "  let  us  leave  the  theatre.  We  can 
no  longer  enjoy  the  opera  with  those  unmanly  dogs  chatting  in 
our  ears. 

"  We  will  not  be  driven  from  the  theatre  by  their  noise,"  I  said. 
"  Isadora  is  too  interested  in  the  opera  for  us  to  leave  at  the 
present  time.  If  we  could  find  another  box  I  would  change 
quarters,  but  I  won't  be  driven  from  the  theatre  by  three  or  four 
Englishmen." 

"  It  is  not  the  Englishmen  whom  I  fear,"  replied  Francisco, 
"  but  the  disturbance  that  will  occur." 

We  spoke  in  whispers,  so  that  Isadora  should  not  hear  and  be- 
come alarmed,  but  we  miscalculated,  for  she  caught  the  last  part 
of  our  conversation,  and  with  woman's  curiosity  begged  to  know 
what  the  officers  had  said. 

"  They  merely  said  that  you  were  pretty,"  I  replied. 

"  And  you  are  not  offended  with  them  for  that?  "  she  asked. 

"  No  more  than  yourself,"  I  said,  secretly  amused  at  the  man- 
ner in  which  she  had  found  consolation  in  being  called  hand- 
some. 

I  looked  upon  the  blooming  face  of  Isadora,  and  wished 
that  the  tenor's  lungs  would  fail,  or  the  prima  donna  have  a  fit 


108 

of  sulks  so  that  we  could  return  home.  But  the  very  method 
I  adopted  to  pass  away  time,  and  avoid  a  quarrel  with  the 
Englishmen,  was  the  means  of  provoking  one ;  for  one  of  the 
officers,  seeing  that  I  was  so  entirely  occupied  with  the  lady, 
called  the  attention  of  his  comrades  to  the  fact. 

"  Look  at  the  fellow,"  said  one,  whom  they  called  Fred  ;  "  he 
is  struck  with  a  Spanish  mildew,  and  can't  sheer  from  one  side 
to  the  other." 

"  He  is  fearful  that  some  one  will  board  his  prize,  and  carry 
her  off  before  his  eyes,"  said  another. 

"  What  countryman  is  he  ?  "  asked  Fred. 

"  A  Frenchman,  I  will  bet,"  one  replied. 

"  No,  he  is  a  Spaniard  ;  with  an  Englishman  for  a  father.  Recol- 
lect our  ships  have  been  on  this  station  for  many  years,  and  who 
can  resist  an  Englishman  in  full  uniform?" 

The  scamps  laughed  at  this  rally,  as  though  it  was  witty.  I 
manifested  no  sign  that  I  heard  anything,  but  I  began  to  feel  a 
little  warm  in  the  region  of  my  heart. 

u  You  do  not  listen  to  the  opera,"  said  Isadora. 

"  No,  I  am  still  thinking  of  you,"  was  my  reply. 

She  pouted  a  little  and  laughed,  and  that  was  observed  by  our 
friends  on  the  left. 

*'  She  has  a  smile  that  would  thaw  a  man,  even  if  he  had  stood 
double  watch  while  going  upon  the  coast  of  England  in  the  winter," 
said  one. 

"  But  the  fact  is,  I  don't  like  such  a  smile,"  Fred  said,  in  a 
languid  manner. 

"  Why  not?"  asked  his  brother  officer,  in  some  surprise. 

"  Because  it  is  too  inviting,'*  was  the  reply. 

"  How  so?  —  explain  yourself,"  was  the  universal  cry. 

"  Why,  don't  you  see  that  she  has  caught  a  glimpse  of  my  face, 
and  she  is  dying  to  become  acquainted  with  me  ?  "  was  the  puppy's 
affected  remark. 

There  was  such  a  laugh  at  this  vanity,  that  the  audience  in  the 
theatre  cried  out  with  vexation,  and  a  number  hissed. 

"Do  you  hear  that,  Fred?"  one  of  them  said.  "  The  people 
are  hissing  you." 

"  Which  proves  that  they  are  geese,  and  understand  nothing  but 
garlic  and  onions.  Let  them  hiss  and  be  hanged.  I  can  stand  it 
as  long  as  they  can." 


A   PREMEDITATED    INSULT.  103 

• 

The  audience,  intent  upon  the  music,  soon  forgot  the  English- 
men in  the  strains  of  a  powerful  tenor.  Then  the  officers  once 
more  found  their  tongues. 

".I  tell  you,  sirs,  the  lady  admires  me,"  Fred  continued.  4<  Half 
a  dozen  times  she  has  flashed  her  eyes  upon,  me  like  diamonds. 
I  am  never  mistaken." 

"  Nonsense,  man  !  "  a  brother  officer  said,  who  seemed  older 
and  more  grave  than  the  others.  "You  must  be  mistaken." 

"  I  tell  you  what  I  will  do,"  Fred  said.  "  I  can  convince  you 
that  I  speak  understandingly.  I  will  take  a  flower  from  the 
lass's  head,  and  she  will  not  chide  me  for  the  loss." 

"  But  her  lover  will,"  cried  the  lieutenant.  "  He  looks  as 
though  capable  of  doing  work  if  roused.  You  had  better  do  noth- 
ing of  the  kind." 

"O,  let  Russell  alone  —  can't  you?"  the  other  officer  cried. 
"  He  is  only  talking,  and  would  not  take  such  liberties  when  there 
is  a  fair  prospect  of  getting  his  ears  boxed.  The  lady  has  not 
looked  at  him,  and  don't  know  that  there  is  such  a  person  in  the 
world." 

Russell's  brother  officers  seemed  desirous  of  urging  the  fellow 
on  for  the  purpose  of  seeing  the  fun  ;  for  such  they  seemed  to  con- 
sider it ;  with  the  exception  of  one  called  Horton,  who  appeared 
to  be  more  sober,  and  have  more  sense  than  the  others. 

"  Blast  me  if  I  stand  such  chaffing  as  this  ! "  Fred  cried.  "  Just 
keep  your  eyes  on  me  and  see  if  I  don't  do  the  trick,  and  no  words 
about  the  matter  either." 

The  fellow  moved  nearer  the  box  in  which  Isadora  and  myself 
were  seated,  as  though  about  to  carry  his  threat  into  execution. 
Without  pretending  to  notice  his  movements,  I  edged  towards 
him  in  such  a  manner  that  I  was  brought  directly  behind  the 
lady,  and  between  Francisco  and  the  Englishmen.  I  kept  one 
eye  upon  the  movements  of  Russell,  and  saw  that  he  was  de- 
liberating which  rose  from  the  lady's  head  he  should  pluck,  and 
while  he  was  thus  undecided  Horton  once  more  spoke  to  him. 

"  Fred,"  he  said,  "  let  me  persuade  you  to  desist  from  your 
foolish  scheme.  Trouble  will  arise,  I  am  sure,  for  I  see  some- 
thing in  that  fellow's  eyes  that  tells  me  he  is  a  Tartar." 

"  He  is  a  snob,"  cried  Fred,  "  and  I'll  soon  show  you  that 
such  is  the  case.  Watch  my  motions." 

He  reached  over  as  he  spoke,  and  was  about  to  pluck  the  rose 


110  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

from  Isadora's  hair  ;  but  I  had  watched  him  most  narrowly,  and 
as  soon  as  his  hand  was  within  a  few  inches  of  Isadora's  head, 
so  that  I  could  be  certain  of  his  intentions,  I  suddenly  started  into 
life.  Grasping  his  wrist  as  firmly  as  though  it  was  in  a  vice,  I 
gave  it  a  sudden  wrench  and  threw  his  arm  out  of  joint.  Then 
before  he  could  recover  from  his  astonishment  I  pulled  him 
towards  me,  and  struck  him  three  heavy  blows  upon  his  face. 
Every  blow  brought  blood,  and  raised  large  ridges  of  discolored 
flesh. 

The  eyes  of  every  one  in  the  house  were  directed  towards 
us,  and  many  people  rose  to  their  feet  for  the  purpose  of  seeing 
what  the  trouble  was  about ;  but  before  they  could  bring  their 
opera  glasses  to  bear  upon  us  the  difficulty,  as  far  as  I  was  con- 
cerned, was  over. 

Isadora  had  started  to  her  feet  in  alarm  when  the  first  blow 
was  struck,  but  at  a  word  from  me  she  resumed  her  seat,  and  al- 
though trembling  somewhat,  she  manifested  no  further  emotion, 
and  appeared  to  direct  her  whole  attention  to  the  stage.  So  sud- 
den was  the  attack  that  Francisco  could  only  look  on  and  wonder. 

The  English  officers  rose  hastily,  and  moved  towards  the  door 
of  their  box  without  saying  a  word,  and  in  a  few  minutes  the 
audience  had  forgotten  that  a  disturbance  had  occurred,  so  en- 
grossed were  they  with  the  opera. 

"  Bravo  ! "  cried  Francisco,  as  the  Englishmen  showed  their 
backs.  "  You  have  driven  the  ruffians  from  the  house,  and  with 
but  little  trouble.  Now  we  can  enjoy  the  balance  of  the  opera  in 
peace." 

I  had  my  doubts  on  the  subject,  but  did  not  think  it  worth 
while  to  communicate  them  to  my  friend  just  at  that  moment. 

At  length  the  curtain  fell,  and  the  vast  audience  rose  to  depart. 
I  gave  my  arm  to  Isadora,  and  we  left  the  box.  As  I  expected, 
I  saw  one  of  the  English  officers  standing  near  the  door,  and  a 
quick  glance  showed  me  that  it  was  Mr.  Horton,  who  had  en- 
deavored to  persuade  Russell  not  to  act  the  silly  part  which  he 
had  carried  out  a  few  minutes  before.  I  pretended  not  to  notice 
him,  and  passed  slowly  along,  but  before  I  reached  the  stairs  I 
was  gently  touched  on  the  shoulder.  I  looked  round,  and  saw 
Mr.  Horton. 

"  Excuse  me,  sir,"  he  said,  with  a  bow  and  a  smile,  "  but  may 
I  request  your  card  ?  " 


A   CARD    DEMANDED.  Ill 

u  Pardon  me,"  I  said,  "  but  I  am  quite  out  of  cards." 

"  Your  name  and  residence  will  do  as  well/'  was  the  answer. 

I  gave  him  my  name  and  residence,  and  he  bowed  and  left  me. 

Just  before  we  reached  the  volante  I  whispered  to  Francisco, 
and  requested  him  to  go  in  search  of  Murphy,  and  bring  him  to 
my  lodgings  without  delay. 

"  My  friend,"  Isadora  said,  as  soon  as  we  entered  the  volante, 
and  were  driving  towards  our  lodgings,  u  there  is  some  secret 
which  you  have  not  confided  to  me.  Tell  me  all." 

*'  It  is  nothing,"  I  replied,  "  excepting  that  the  man  who  was 
so  fierce  as  to  insult  you  and  me,  and  was  punished  for  it,  is  de- 
sirous of  challenging  me." 

"  And  you  will  meet  him?"  she  asked. 

"  Certainly,  if  the  officer  feels  aggrieved  at  the  blows  which  he 
has  received,  I  am  bound  to  satisfy  him." 

She  sighed,  but  remained  silent. 

"  Do  you  not  approve  of  my  resolution  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  No  ;  but  nothing  that  I  could  say  would  prevent  you  from 
doing  as  you  pleased." 

Our  landlord  received  us  with  a  cloud  of  smoke,  and  his  head 
more  on  one  side  than  ever. 

"  Coffee  on  the  table,"  he  said,  "  and  a  piece  of  cold  chicken." 

He  escorted  us  to  our  rooms,  and  I  had  hardly  exchanged  my 
black  coat  for  a  light  one,  when  Murphy  and  Francisco  entered. 

u  I  caught  the  captain  just  as  he  was  taking  a  boat  to  go  on 
board,  and  have  brought  him  with  me,"  the  Cuban  said  ;  "  and 
although  he  grumbled  somewhat  at  being  compelled  to  sleep  on 
shore,  he  won't  lose  his  sea  legs." 

"  What  in  the  devil's  name  does  all  this  mean  ?"  Murphy  asked. 
"  Francisco,  has  told  me  that  you  was  insulted  by  a  party  of  Eng- 
lishmen, and  that  you  knocked  one  of  'em  down.  So  far  so  good. 
That  made  you  even.  What  more  can  happen  ?  " 

"  Nothing,  unless  the  fellow  chooses  to  request  a  meeting,  in 
which  case  I  couldn't  very  well  refuse  him,  could  I?"  I  asked. 

'*  Do  you  think  that  he  means  fight?"  Murphy  asked. 

"  I  am  certain  of  it,"  I  replied. 

"  Then,  by  the  piper  that  played  before  Moses,  you  must  give 
him  one  !  "  exclaimed  the  captain,  heartily. 

"  But  we  were  to  sail  to-morrow,"  I  suggested. 

u  I  will  postpone  it  until  this  affair  is  settled.     I  can  make  a 


112 

• 
dozen  excuses  that  will  serve  the  agents.     You  must  fight  if  they 

want  you  to,  and  what  is  more,  you  must,  for  the  honor  of  the 
Coquette,  come  out  of  the  matter  with  flying  colors.  I'll  be  your 
second,  and  show  you  how  things  are  managed." 

u  The  supper  is  cooling,  senors,"  said  the  tobacconist,  who  had 
been  dancing  around  the  room  for  a  few  minutes,  nervous  with 
the  idea  that  we  should  forget  his  cheer. 

"  We  can  eat  and  talk  at  the  same  time,"  I  said,  drawing  near 
the  table,  and  inviting  my  guests  to  join  me. 

"  Well,  I  don't  mind  having  a  little  snack  of  somethin'  at  this 
late  hour,"  the  captain  said ;  and  after  complimenting  Isadora,  he 
fell  to,  like  a  lion.  "  You  are  sure  they  can  find  the  house?"  the 
captain  asked. 

"  O,  yes ;  I  think  there  is  no  chance  for  a  mistake,"  I  replied. 

"  If  there  was,  I  would  start  out  and  find  the  party,"  the  cap- 
tain said,  in  a  musing  tone. 

I  thanked  him  for  his  kindness,  but  can't  say  that  I  fully  ap- 
preciated it.  Before  there  was  a  chance  to  discuss  the  point,  I 
heard  the  landlord  coming  up  stairs,  escorting  some  one  who 
spoke  in  English. 

"  Here  comes  our  man,"  said  Murphy ;  and  he  was  right,  for 
the  officer  who  had  asked  for  my  address,  Mr.  Horton,  made  his 
appearance. 

I  shook  hands  with  him,  and  invited  him  to  take  a  seat,  which 
he  did. 

"  I  presume  that  you  expected  me,"  he  said. 

"  I  certainly  did,"  I  replied. 

"  These  things  should  be  settled  in  as  quiet  and  quick  a  man- 
ner as  possible,"  Mr.  Horton  continued,  in  an  indifferent  sort  of 
manner,  as  though  duels  were  of  common  occurrence  with  him. 

I  bowed,  and  remained  silent. 

"  My  friend,  Mr.  Russell,  was  quite  anxious  that  a  meeting 
should  take  place  to-night,  so  eager  is  he  to  revenge  the  injuries 
he  has  received,  but  we  managed  to  pacify  him.  We  did  this, 
thinking  that  you  might  have  a  little  writing  and  a  few  arrange- 
ments to  make  before  an  exchange  of  shots." 

"  It  was  certainly  very  kind  on  your  part,"  I  replied,  with  the 
utmost  sangfroid;  "  but  I  am  really  sorry  that  you  did  not  yield 
your  wishes  to  those  of  Mr.  Russell.  These  trifling  things  should 
be  settled  on  the  spot,  or  if  that  is  impossible,  within  half  an  hour 


PRELIMINARIES   OF   A   DUEL.  113 

after  the  blows  have  passed.  I  think  that  it  is  not  too  late,  even 
now,  for  the  meeting  to  take  place." 

I  heard  a  suppressed  chuckle  from  Murphy,  which  sounded  as 
though  he  had  swallowed  a  cup  of  coffee  the  wrong  way,  and  was 
strangling  in  consequence. 

The  Englishman  looked  at  me  in  astonishment,  and  evidently 
thought  that  ,he  had  made  a  slight  mistake.  I  remained  quite 
cool,  and  determined  to  brag  about  promptness  as  hard  as  he  did. 

"  I  fear  that  it  is  too  late,"  Mr.  Horton  said,  looking  at  his 
watch.  "  It  is  now  twelve  o'clock,  and  dark.  The  early  morn- 
ing will  have  to  answer." 

"As  you  please.  One  time  is  as  good  as  another  for  me. 
Only  let  the  hour  be  as  soon  as  possible." 

The  Englishman  took  a  good  long  stare  at  me  in  astonishment. 

44  May  I  ask,"  he  said,  "what  countryman  you  are?  I  sup- 
pose a  Frenchman." 

I  shook  my  head. 

"  Certainly  not  a  German." 

«  No." 

"  You  speak  the  English  language  so  plain  you  might  pasa  for 
one  of  our  queen's  subjects,"  Mr.  Horton  continued. 

"  I  thank  fortune  that  I  am  not  an  Englishman,"  I  replied , 
and  then  assuming  my  most  dignified  look,  I  answered,  "  I  have 
the  honor  of  being  an  American." 

The  officer  looked  surprised,  and  somewhat  perplexed. 

"  If  I  had  known  that  you  were  an  American,  sir,  I  could  have 
prevented  this  trouble,"  Mr.  Horton  cried,  at  length. 

"  I  have  requested  the  services  of  a  friend,"  I  sa"id,  "  and  he 
will  arrange  all  preliminaries  with  you  as  soon  as  he  has  finished 
a  cup  of  coffee.  Or,  perhaps  you  will  take  a  seat  at  the  table 
and  talk  with  him,  and  sip  a  cup  of  coffee  yourself.  You  will 
find  the  beverage  to  your  taste." 

The  Englishman  hesitated ;  but  just  at  that  moment  Isadora 
retired  to  her  room,  and  Murphy  came  towards  us.  I  introduced 
the  gentlemen.  They  shook  hands  like  old  friends,  and  Murphy 
renewed  my  invitation,  which  Horton  no  longer  refused  to  accept. 
They  went  to  a  table,  and  Francisco  was  presented  in  due  form, 
but,  owing  to  his  limited  amount  of  English,  was  not  requested 
to  retire. 

I  left  the  parties  engaged  in  an  animated  discussion,  and  sought 
8 


114  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

Isadora.  A  few  minutes  later  some  one  knocked  at  the  door  of 
our  room,  and  upon  opening  it,  I  found  Murphy. 

44 1  have  arranged  matters  to  my  satisfaction,"  he  said.  u  You 
are  to  meet  to-morrow  morning,  just  outside  of  the  city.  A  sweet 
spot,  where  no  interruption  can  take  place." 

*'  And  the  weapons?"  I  asked. 

44  We  were  the  challenged  party,  and  had  the  right  to  choose 
them.  I  named  rifles,  for  I  saw  you  shoot  on  the  Gabun." 

44  Good !  It  is  a  weapon  that  I  am  familiar  with.  What  is 
the  distance?" 

"  Forty  yards." 

**  That  is  a  fair  distance.     How  do  we  fire? " 

41  At  the  words  one,  two,  three  —  fire." 

44  And  the  Englishman  is  satisfied?" 

44  Far  from  it.^  He  said  that  his  principal  was  not  much  ac- 
quainted with  rifles,  and  would  prefer  pistols  or  swords.  But  I 
insisted  upon  rifles,  and  he  was  compelled  to  come  to  it,  or  go 
without  fighting.  I  don't  think  that  they  are  eager  for  a  meeting, 
for  somehow  Horton  thinks  that  you  are  right  and  Russell  is 
wrong." 

This  was  good  news,  and  I  said  as  much  to  Murphy. 

44  You  must  bring  the  rifles  from  the  schooner,  for  I  doubt  if 
they  have  any  on  board  of  the  Scorpion,"  I  said. 

44  Don't  bother  your  head  on  that  score.  Francisco  and  my- 
self will  see  that  everything  is  ship-shape  and  Bristol  fashion. 

The  captain  closed  the  door,  and  I  was  not  sorry  that  he  was 
gone,  for  I  needed  a  few  hours'  time  to  collect  my  thoughts,  and 
arrange  them  for  the  meeting  which  was  to  come  off.  I  sat  down 
and  wrote  a  few  letters  to  friends  in  the  United  States,  and  then 
wrote  a  statement  of  my  effects,  and  bequeathed  everything,  ex- 
cepting a  few  presents,  to  Isadora.  I  left  directions  for  Murphy 
to  see  that  my  wishes  were  carried  out,  and  by  the  time  I  had 
finished,  it  was  near  two  o'clock  in  the  morning.  I  hoped  to  get 
a  few  hours'  rest,  so  threw  myself  upon  my  bed,  and  think  I 
slept,  for  I  was  aroused  by  a  gentle  knock  at  my  door,  and  upon 
opening  it  saw  Murphy  and  Francisco. 

44  It  is  time  that  you  are  stirring,"  said  the  former,  44  although 
I  hate  to  rouse  out  a  man  at  such  an  hour." 

44 1  will  be  with  you  in  a  moment,"  I  replied,  softly,  for  Isa- 
dora had  not  awakerled,  and  I  did  not  wish  to  disturb  her. 


PREPARING    FOR   A   DUEL.  115 

"  We've  got  a  kettle  of  hot  coffee  ready,"  Murphy  said,  "  and 
a  cup  of  it  will  do  you  good.  It  will  clear  the  cobwebs  from  your 
eyes,  and  make  your  head  feel  as  lively  as  a  schooner  in  ballast  in 
a  stiff  gale  off  Cape  Hatteras." 

I  commenced  dressing  with  exceeding  care,  and,  according  to 
Murphy's  directions,  all  in  black,  not  even  allowing  so  much  as 
the  bosom  of  my  shirt  to  be  seen,  so  that  my  opponent  could  find 
nothing  to  take  aim  at.  While  I  was  thus  engaged,  Isadora 
awoke,  but  did  not  speak,  although  I  knew  that  she  was  noting 
all  my  preparations  with  anxious  eyes.  Just  as  I  was  about  to 
leave  the  room,  with  a  trembling  voice  she  begged  that  I  would 
remain  at  home,  or  at  least  allow  her  to  accompany  me  to  the 
field.  I  could  do  neither ;  but  I  kissed  her  most  affectionately, 
and  then  gently  released  her  arms  which  were  entwined  around 
my  neck  as  though  they  bad  been  riveted  together,  with  a  final 
blessing,  left  her,  crying  as  though  her  heart  would  break. 

u  How  do  you  feel  this  morning?"  the  captain  asked,  as  I 
made  my  appearance  at  the  table. 

"  Composed  and  anxious  to  finish  the  business  which  is  before 
me,"  I  replied. 

u  Do  your  nerves  tremble?"  he  asked. 

"  See  for  yourself,"  I  answered,  filling  a  cup  of  coffee  so  full 
that  another  drop  would  have  overrun  it. 

I  held  the  cup  up  for  inspection,  and  yet  not  a  drop  went  over 
the  rim. 

"  That  will  do,"  said  Murphy,  with  a  nod  of  approval. 

The  coffee  was  soon  disposed  of,  and  cigars  were  lighted  by  all 
excepting  myself.  To  me  Murphy  did  not  pass  them. 

"  Why  this  neglect?"  I  asked. 

"  Your  nerves,"  he  answered. 

"  I'll  risk  the  nerves  ;  give  me  the  cigars." 

He  would  have  remonstrated  ;  but  just  at  that  moment  the  vo- 
lante  drove  up  to  the  door,  and  the  captain  was  too  busy  attend- 
ing to  the  departure  to  speak. 


116  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

EARLY     MORNING. A    DUEL     AND     ITS    RESULTS.  —  A    NICE    DIS- 
TINCTION.   OFF   TO    SEA. A   LITTLE    HARBOR   EPISODE. 

WE  passed  the  outskirts  of  the  city,  and  soon  left  the  houses 
behind,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  villas,  which  were  scattered 
along  the  road,  and  surrounded  by  orange  groves,  and  elegant 
gardens  of  flowers  and  pines.  Once  in  a  while  we  could  see  a 
pair  of  black  eyes  gazing  at  us  from  the  windows  of  a  villa, 
and  it  was  noticed  that  a  handsome  face,  in  which  the  eyes  were 
set,  received  the  utmost  attention  from  our  party.  In  fact,  Mur- 
phy went  so  far  as  to  kiss  his  hand  to  several  ladies,  who  had  the 
curiosity  to  peer  at  us  from  balconies ;  an  attention  that  caused 
Francisco  to  roar  with  laughter,  and  the  lady  who  was  the  re- 
cipient of  the  favor  to  smile  and  blush,  as  though  not  knowing 
whether  to  be  offended  or  pleased. 

"  What  in  the  devil's  name  are  you  laughing  at?"  roared  Mur- 
phy, just  after  he  had  saluted,  turning  to  Francisco. 

"  At  the  manner  in  which  you  make  love.  You  seem  to  have 
but  little  regard  for  age  or  sex,  for  I  just  saw  you  kiss  your  hand 
to  a  boy  with  a  white  shirt,  intead  of  a  lady  with  a  night  dress," 
Francisco  said. 

"  Did  I?  "  roared  the  captain.  "  Then  tell  the  driver  to  tack 
ship,  and  stand  back,  and  say  that  it  was  a  mistake." 

But  the  captain's  request  was  not  complied  with,  for  we  feared 
to  spend  the  time  necessary  to  perform  the  business ;  and  as  we 
were  within  half  a  mile  of  the  place  of  meeting,  the  captain's 
thoughts  were  changed  from  females  to  the  work  before  him. 

"  We  have  reached  the  ground  before  the  Englishmen,  that  is 
certain,"  Murphy  said,  as  he  ordered  the  volante  driver  to  "  heave 
to,"  while  he  inspected  the  premises. 

The  spot  selected  for  the  meeting  was  known  as  the  "  Cava- 
lier's Crossing,"  from  the  fact  that  two  Spaniards  had  fought  a 
duel  on  the  ground  with  small  swords,  more  than  fifty  years  be- 
fore. Ever  since  that  period  it  had  been  used  for  hostile  meet- 
ings, and  many  a  bloody  duel  had  taken  place  there. 


A   SWEET   SPOT.  117 

"  Ah,  what  a  sweet  spot !  "  murmured  Murphy.  "  Search  the 
whole  island,  and  a  better  place  could  not  be  found  for  our  busi- 
ness." 

"  I  hear  a  carriage  on  the  road,"  I  said,  not  wishiog  to  dilate 
on  a  place  that  might  witness  my  fall. 

"  Then  it  must  be  the  party  we  are  expecting.  They  are  five 
minutes  beyond  the  time,  but  we  will  overlook  it  far  the  sake 
of  the  fight." 

Murphy's  prediction  was  correct ;  for  the  volante,  drawn  by 
two  horses,  stopped,  and  four  men,  dressed  in  black,  alighted. 

"  One  of  'em  is  a  surgeon  —  I  told  'em  to  bring  him  in  case  of 
accidents,"  Murphy  said,  in  reply  to  my  look  of  interrogation. 

The  Englishmen  walked  towards  us  until  within  ten  paces, 
when  they  stopped,  and  saluted  us  by  raising  their  caps.  Murphy 
and  Horton  advanced  and  shook  hands.  The  doctor  took  sntfff, 
and  eyed  us  suspiciously,  as  though  settling  in  his  own  mind  our 
exact  standing.  I  thought  that  I  had  seen  his  face  before,  but 
was  not  positive. 

"  We  are  a  few  minutes  late,"  the  lieutenant  said,  when  he  and 
Murphy  met,  "  but  I  trust  that  you  will  excuse  it." 

"  We  should  have  been  much  more  sorry  if  you  had  not  come, 
I  assure  you,"  replied  Murphy. 

"  We  took  the  liberty  of  bringing  the  surgeon  of  our  ship,"  the 
lieutenant  said,  at  length.  "  An  accident  may  happen,  you 
know." 

"It  is  quite  probable,"  Murphy  continued. 

-     "  You  have  brought  the  weapons,  I  trust  ?  "  the  Englishman  in- 
quired. 

"  I'd  as  soon  forget  my  chain  and  anchor  if  going  to  sea.  Step 
this  way,  and  you  shall  see  them.  There  they  are,"  said  Mur- 
phy, "  two  as  good  rifles  as  can  be  found  in  Cuba.  Take  your 
choice.  We  have  none.  One  is  as  good  as  the  other." 

"  I  shall  make  choice  of  this,"  Horton  said,  at  length. 

I  felt  rejoiced.  He  had  chosen  Murphy's,  and  not  the  one 
I  was  accustomed  to  use. 

The  seconds  proceeded  to  load  the  weapons  most  carefully ; 
each  grain  of*powder  being  weighed,  for  fear  of  not  getting 
enough,  or  too  little.  The  rifles  were  prepared  and  capped,  and 
the  seconds  proceeded  to  measure  off  the  distance  with  commend- 
able promptness. 


118  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

"  You  will  now  take  your  stations,  gentlemen,"  cried  Mr.  Hor- 
ton ;  and,  in  obedience  to  that  command,  we  moved  to  our  re- 
spective posts,  where  the  .rifles  were  handed  to  us. 

"  The  word  will  be  given  by  me,"  Murphy  said.  "  I  shall  re- 
peat '  one,  two,  three  —  fire.'  Neither  of  you  will  fire  until  you 
hear  the  '  three.'  This  must  be  recollected,  or  unpleasant  feel- 
ings may  arise.  Don't  forget." 

"  I  wish  to  speak  to  that  gentleman  one  moment,"  cried  the 
surgeon,  pointing  to  me. 

"  It  is  too  late,"  said  Murphy. 

"  But  it  may  save  the  effusion  of  blood.  Mr.  Russell  is  not 
bound  to  meet  a  person  who  is  not  a  —  " 

"  I  tell  you  that  the  time  for  talking  has  gone  by,  and  we  don't 
lay  to  any  longer  for  any  one.  Fill  the  topsails,  and  drive 
ahead,"  Murphy  exclaimed. 

I  could  not  think  what  the  doctor  wanted,  and  would  have 
given  him  an  opportunity  to  speak,  if  Murphy  had  not  been  so 
positive  in  refusing.  The  surgeon  consoled  himself  with  a  pinch 
of  snuff,  and  looked  at  me  harder  than  ever. 

"Are  you  ready,  gentlemen?"  cried  Murphy. 

"  I  am  ready,"  I  answered. 

"  And  1,"  Russell  said  ;  but  his  voice  was  almost  inaudible. 

"  Then  keep  your  weather  eyes  open  for  the  word.  Now  then 
—  one!" 

I  brought  my  rifle  to  my  shoulder,  and  cocked  it.  Russell  had 
done  the  same  before  the  word. 

"  Two  !  "  thundered  Murphy,  in  a  voice  that  could  have  been 
heard  fore  and  aft  in  a  gale  of  wind. 

"  Three  — fire  !  "  he  continued. 

I  heard  the  discharge  of  Russell's  rifle  before  I  fired.  The  ball 
whizzed  within  a  foot  of  my  head,  but  I  was  safe.  I  took  a  de- 
liberate aim,  and  also  fired  almost  as  soon  as  Murphy  had  uttered 
the  last  word.  I  did  not  aim  to  kill  or  to  wound.  I  aimed  to 
frighten  my  adversary,  and  think  that  I  did,  for  the  ball  passed 
between  his  right  arm  and  body,  so  near  that  his  clothing  was  cut 
as  though  with  a  knife. 

•'  I'm  wounded,"  he  shouted  ;  and  down  went*his  rifle  to  the 
ground  as  though  mortally  hurt. 

His  seconds  and  friends  rushed  towards  him,  and  Francisco 
and  Murphy  came  towards  me  with  eager  looks. 


NOT   ANOTHER   SHOT.  119 

"  Are  you  all  right  ?  "  demanded  Murphy. 

"  I'm  not  touched,"  I  replied,  with  a  smile 

"Thank  fortune  for  that.  But  I  think  the  Englishman  has 
got  a  belly-full  that  will  last  him  for  a  month.  See ;  they  are 
examining  his  wound." 

"  They  won't  find  one,"  I  replied,  confidently. 

"Why  not?" 

"  Because  I  aimed  to  frighten,  and  not  to  kill." 

"  The  devil  you  did.  And  now  the  fellow  will  ask  for  another 
shot  at  you.  What  did  you  want  to  play  for  ?  " 

He  did  not  stop  to  hear  my  explanations,  but  waddled  towards 
the  other  party,  who  surrounded  Russell. 

"He  isn't  damaged  much  —  is  he?"  asked  Murphy,  with  a 
slight  laugh. 

"  No,  I  think  not,"  replied  Horton,  with  a  look  that  approached 
contempt.  "  He  is  good  for  another  shot." 

"  No,  I  am  not,"  faintly  gasped  Russell.  "  I'm  satisfied  with 
what  I  have  got." 

"  Hold  your  tongue,  sir ! "  thundered  Horton,  indignantly. 
"  You  will  be  guided  by  your  seconds  in  this  matter,  and  do  as 
they  tell  you." 

"  But  I  won't  fire  another  shot,"  persisted  Russell,  doggedly. 

"Will  you  keep  quiet?"  roared  Horton. 

"  My  friend  is  not  yet  satisfied,  sir,"  Murphy  said,  speaking  to 
Horton. 

The  lieutenant  hardly  knew  how  to  proceed.  He  looked  at  the 
surgeon  for  advice,  and  that  gentleman  was  not  slow  in  offering 
it.  He  drew  the  officer  one  side,  and  whispered  to  him  for  a  few 
moments  earnestly.  The  lieutenant  looked  surprised,  and  scruti- 
nized the  faces  of  Murphy  and  myself  attentively.  I  wondered 
what  was  in  the  wind,  and  was  soon  enlightened. 

"  This  affair  can  proceed  no  farther,"  Mr.  Horton  said,  firmly 
but  quietly. 

"  And  why  not,  in  the  devil's  name  ?  "  roared  Murphy. 

"  Because,  sir,  my  friend  is  a  gentleman." 

"  And  do  you  pretend  to  say  that  my  friend  is  not  one  also?" 
cried  Murphy,  his  face  swelling  with  passion. 

"  I  am  not  required  to  give  an  answer  to  that  question.  But 
this  you  must  be  satisfied  with.  Your  friend  has  had  a  shot,  and 
here  the  matter  ends." 


120  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

"  Ends  ?  "  gasped  Murphy. 

"  Ends,"  repeated  the  lieutenant,  quite  calmly. 

"I  —  I  don't  understand  this,"  the  captain  said,  gulping  down 
his  mighty  wrath  with  the  aid  of  a  chew  of  tobacco. 

"  Perhaps  it  is  as  well  that  you  don't.  With  the  shot  that  has 
been  exchanged,  Mr.  Russell  feels  satisfied,  but  will  not  risk  the 
loss  of  his  reputation  by  firing  another." 

"  Why,  the  lad  seemed  to  stand  up  well  enough,  all  but  his 
knees,  and  them  was  rather  shaky,"  the  captain  said. 

"  You  don't  understand  me,  sir,"  replied  the  lieutenant.  "  I 
don't  mean  to  impugn  the  courage  of  my  friend." 

" Then  what  did  you  mean?  Hang  me  if  I  ain't  taken  all 
aback  by  this  'ere  course  of  proceedings,"  roared  Murphy. 

"  You  know,  sir,  that  my  principal  is  a  gentleman,"  he  said, 
"  and  it  is  derogatory  to  his  dignity  to  fight  with  a  slaver,  or  a 
man  engaged  in  the  trade." 

The  thing  was  out  at  last ;  but  it  was  a  long  time  before  the 
lieutenant  had  been  brought  to  the  scratch,  and  revealed  that  which 
was  on  his  mind.  As  soon  as  he  mentioned  the  word  "  slaver," 
I  knew  at  once  where  I  had  seen  the  doctor's  face.  He  was  on 
board  the  Serpent  when  she  was  lying  at  Gabun,  watching  our 
movements.  He  had  been  transferred  to  the  Scorpion,  and,  what 
was  worse,  recollected  my  face,  having  seen  me  one  day  when  he 
visited  the  Coquette  for  the  purpose  of  prescribing  foi  a  sick  man, 
down  with  the  coast  fever. 

For  a  few  seconds  Murphy  was  speechless  with  astonishment ; 
but  he  rallied  after  a  while,  and  was  vehement  in  his  denuncia- 
tion of  the  man  who  would  creep  out  of  a  fight  on  such  a  sup- 
position. 

"  We  can't  discuss  the  question,"  said  Mr.  Horton.  "  My  man 
must  remain  satisfied  without  an  additional  exchange  of  shots." 

"  Then  all  that  I  can  say  is,  that  he  is  easily  suited ;  and  I 
wish  you  a  good  day,  unless  you  would  like  to  take  a  crack  at 
me,  just  for  friendship's  sake." 

The  lieutenant  declined  ;  but  as  he  led  his  friend  from  the  field, 
I  could  see  an  expression  that  was  jubilant  upon  Russell's  face  at 
the  prospect  of  escaping  so  cheaply. 

"  It  was  a  shrewd  operation  on  that  fellow's  part,"  muttered 
Murphy,  with  a  grin  of  approval.  "  The  cuss  hadn't  got  nerve 
enough  to  stand  another  shot,  so  they  resorted  to  the  slave  dodge 


OFF   AT   LAST.  121 

to  prevent  us  from  having  a  second  clip  at  him.  But  there's 
no  use  in  growling  like  a  sick  marine.  The  thing  is  over,  and 
we  may  as  well  go  back  to  the  city  and  get  breakfast.  I'm 
hungry." 

We  rode  slowly  back  to  Havana,  all  hands  feeling  in  good 
humor.  I,  especially,  was  happy,  and  contented  with  myself.  I 
was  satisfied  that  I  had  not  killed  the  Englishman  as  I  might 
have  done,  and  was  more  particularly  pleased  that  I  was  un- 
harmed, and  likely  to  make  Isadora  happy  with  the  successful 
termination  of  the  duel.  Under  this  state  of  things  we  reached 
Havana  by  nine  o'clock  in  the  forenoon,  and  when  the  volante 
drove  up  to  the  door  I  saw  Isadora  gazing  from  the  window  with 
anxious  eyes,  and  the  look  of  concern  did  not  pass  from  her  face 
until  she  saw  that  I  was  well  and  unharmed. 

I  settled  my  bill  with  the  tobacconist  the  next  morning,  and 
received  a  present  of  a  few  hundred  choice  cigars  for  my  liberality 
in  paying  him  all  that  he  asked.  Then  I  took  leave  of  Francisco  ; 
and  as  a  recompense  for  his  kindness,  slipped  upon  his  finger  a 
handsome  ring,  which  he  protested  he  would  wear  to  the  last 
day  of  his  life.  He  accompanied  us  on  board,  where  I  found 
Murphy  had  kept  his  word,  and  made  ample  preparations  for 
us.  He  had  been  fitting  up  a  state-room  in  excellent  style,  and 
it  looked  as  neat  as  a  chamber  at  a  first-class  hotel. 

Towards  twelve  o'clock  a  light  land  breeze  sprang  up,  and  we 
made  preparations  for  weighing  anchor,  and  our  movements  im- 
mediately excited  the  attention  of  the  officers  of  the  frigate  Scor- 
pion, which  vessel  was  lying  about  a  cable's  length  from  the  Co- 
quette, on  the  east  side  t)f  the  bay. 

"  The  fellow  is  going  to  follow  us  out,  I  believe,"  Murphy 
said,  after  watching  the  movements  of  the  Scorpion  for  a  few 
minutes  in  silence,  undecided  whether  to  give  the  orders  to  trip 
the  anchor,  or  remain  in  the  harbor  until  dark,  when  we  could 
steal  out  unnoticed. 

"  He's  a  fast  'un,"  cried  one  of  our  men,  who  was  coiling  down 
a  rope  on  the  quarter-deck,  and  overheard  the  remark. 

"  You  know  her,  then?"  I  asked. 

"  Yes,  sir,"  replied  the  man,  "  and  I  have  good  cause  to  re- 
member her.  I  was  two  years  a  foretop-mau  on  board  of  the 
ship,  and  got  four  dozen  during  that  time,  with  the  bos'n's  lady." 

"  I  suppose  you  deserved  it,"  said  Murphy. 


122  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTUUES. 

"  Well,  I  don't  know  but  I  did,  sir  ;  but  it's  cussed  hard  to  be 
flogged  for  splicing  the  main  brace,  when  an  officer  gets  just  as 
drunk,  and  escapes." 

The  Englishman  had  let  fall  his  sails,  and  we  could  hear  his 
men  as  they  stamped  around  the  capstan,  and  hove  in  the  chain. 
The  getting  under  weigh  of  a  man-of-war  always  attracts  much 
attention  in  Havana,  as  by  it  people  judge  of  the  discipline  of 
the  crew,  and  commend  or  condemn,  according  to  the  smart- 
ness that  is  exhibited.  On  this  account  we  also  came  in  for 
much  attention,  for  the  perfect  symmetry  of  the  Coquette,  and 
her  jet  black  hull,  with  a  narrow  streak  of  red,  having  been  re- 
painted while  lying  in  Havana,  combined  to  render  her  the  best 
looking  craft  in  the  harbor. 

A  light  breeze  rippled  over  the  water,  just  as  we  broke  ground, 
and  the  schooner  gracefully  payed  off  by  the  aid  of  her  jib,  and 
stood  towards  the  Scorpion,  intending  to  pass  under  her  stern,  as 
there  was  plenty  of  room  to  do,  while  ahead  was  a  Spanish  ship, 
loading  with  sugar,  and  her  decks  covered  with  people,  who 
seemed  to  be  celebrating  a  feast  day, "or  having  a  feast,  for  there 
was  music  and  singing  on  board,  and  many  ladies  to  be  seen  upon 
the  quarter-deck.  As  the  Coquette  gathered  headway,  we  saw  at 
once  that  the  Englishman's  anchor  had  broken  ground,  and  that  the 
ship  had  sternway  on,  the  wind  being  too  light  to  enable  the  frigate 
to  work  readily.  Murphy  saw  the  position  of  the  vessel  at  once, 
and  that  he  would  lose  ground  if  he  passed  under  her  stern,  so  he 
luffed  up  a  little,  flattened  down  the  sails,  and  determined  to  pass 
across  his  bow,  just  astern  of  the  Spanish  ship,  there  being  suffi- 
cient room  to  do  so  by  close  attention  to  the  helm.  Suddenly,  an 
officer  in  uniform,  armed  with  a  speaking  trumpet,  sprang  upon 
the  hammock-nettings  of  the  frigate,  and  hailed  us. 

"  Schooner,  ahoy  !  "  he  shouted,  "  don't  attempt  to  pass  across 
our  bow.  Put  your  helm  up,  ease  off  your  main  sheet,  and  pass 
under  our  stern." 

"  They  are  hailing  us,"  I  said  to  Murphy. 

"  Let  them  hail  and  be  hanged !  "  was  his  quick  reply. 

"  Do  you  hear  on  board  of  the  schooner?  "  demanded  the  officer, 
fiercely. 

"  No  entende  !  "  roared  Murphy,  with  a  slight  Irish  brogue, 
which  made  the  ladies  on  board  of  the  Spanish  ship  clap  their 
hands  with  merriment, 


A  MAD    ENGLISHMAN.  123 

We  were  not  more  than  a  cable's  length  from  the  man-of-war,  and 
were  moving  through  the  water  little  faster  than  a  knot  an  hour. 

"  Send  a  man  here  who  can  speak  Spanish,"  cried  the  English 
captain,  sharply ;  and  almost  before  the  words  were  out  of  his 
mouth,  an  officer  mounted  the  hammock  nettings  by  the  com- 
mander's side,  and  repeated  the  words  of  his  superior  in  Spanish. 

"  What  in  the  devil's  name  do  you  mean  by  talking  to  me  in 
such  a  manner?"  asked  Murphy.  "  I  don't  speak  the  lingo." 

"  Blast  you,  I'll  make  you  walk  Spanish  if  you  cross  my  bow  !  " 
roared  the  now  thoroughly  aroused  captain. 

"  Have  you  got  a  lieutenant  named  Horton  on  board?"  asked 
Murphy,  quite  calmly. 

u  Yes,"  replied  the  captain,  astonished  at  the  question. 

''And  a  Mr.  Russell?" 

"  Yes." 

"  Well,  give  my  respects  to  both  of  them  —  will  you  ?  "  Murphy 
cried,  with  a  wave  of  his  hand. 

The  captain  of  the  Scorpion  sprang  from  the  hammock  nettings 
as  though  he  was  stung  by  one  of  the  insects  of  that  name.  We 
did  not  hear  him  swear,  but  I  have  no  doubt  that  he  did  utter  an 
English  oath  that  was  full  of  significance,  for  his  ship  had  just 
gathered  headway,  and  was  under  steerage  way.  when  down  went 
the  helm,  and  she  luffed  up  slowly  as  though  about  to  tack  ship, 
or  come  to  anchor.  At  any  rate,  either  purpose  was  dangerous 
to  us,  for  we  were  likely  to  be  jammed  in  between  the  frigate  and 
the  Spanish  merchantman,  and  if  such  a  thing  happened,  we 
should  lose  our  spars  close  to  the  deck,  or  perhaps  get  our 
hull  stove,  and  sink  in  the  harbor.  At  first  we  could  not  be- 
lieve that  the  Englishman  really  intended  to  tack  ship  or  to 
anchor.  We  supposed  that  he  was  endeavoring  to  avoid  a  vessel 
off  his  larboard  bow,  and  Under  this  impression  we  kept  on  our 
way,  each  moment  expecting  the  Scorpion  to  keep  on  his  course 
again,  and  it  was  not  until  we  were  within  ten  fathoms  of  the 
frigate's  bow  that  we  understood  the  mano3uvre,  but"  then  it 
seemed  too  late  to  guard  against  the  collision  that  we  saw  the 
Englishman  was  bound  to  cause  if  possible. 

The  people  on  board  of  the  Spanish  ship  saw  the  danger 
we  were  in,  and  sought  to  warn  us  by  gestures  and  loud  cries, 
which  attracted  the  attention  of  all  in  the  harbor  who  were  not 
regarding  the  scene.  They  saw  at  once  that  the  Scorpion  was 


124  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

about  t'o  take  a  summary  method  of  preventing  our  'sailing,  and 
that  the  manner  of  doing  so  was  peculiarly  English,  and  of  course 
an  outrage. 

If  we  had  had  American  colors  flying,  the  commander  of  the 
Scorpion  would  have  thought  twice  before  he  put  into  execution 
his  project ;  but  as  we  were  under  the  Spanish  flag,  and  Spain  is 
but  a  fourth-rate  power,  the  Englishman  knew  that  no  questions 
would  be  asked,  or  if  they  were  asked,  that  they  would  be  easily 
answered. 

But  the  Coquette  was  not  so  easily  crushed  as  the  Englishman 
seemed  to  think,  and  just  when  it  seemed  to  the  spectators  that 
we  should  drift  under  his  bow,  we  put  our  helm  hard  down,  eased 
off  our  jib  sheets,  shivered  our  foretop-sail,  and  hauled  aft  our 
main  sheet.  The  schooner  instantly  obeyed  her  helm,  and  poked 
her  nose  into  the  wind,  shooting  ahead  slowly  at  the  same  time, 
clearing  the  taffrail  of  the  Spanish  ship  by  just  about  half  a  fathom, 
'while  at  the  same  time  the  heavy  jib-boom  of  the  Scorpion  was 
over  our  deck,  where  we  expected  it  to  foul  every  moment ;  but 
luck  was  on  our  side,  for,  owing  to  the  light  breeze,  the  Coquette 
moved  two  feet  to  the  Scorpion's  one,  and  as  we  gradually  forged 
ahead,  grazed  the  Spaniard,  and  then  paid  off  the  head  of  the 
schooner  by  the  aid  of  the  jib  and  foretop-sail,  until  our  other  sails 
were  filled,  when  we  drew  ahead  until  the  bow  of  the  Scorpion 
was  entirely  clear,  and  we  had  room  to  work. 

Then  from  every  vessel  in  the  harbor  arose  such  wild  cheers  of 
exultation  as  only  sailors  can  bestow,  and  at  a  sign  from  Murphy 
our  men  sprang  upon  the  bulwark  and  joined  in  the  general  roar 
of  triumph,  which  must  have  mortified  the  Englishman  most 
intensely,  for  we  could  see  him  on  his  quarter-deck  shake  his 
speaking  trumpet  at  us,  as  though  determined  to  get  even  the  first 
opportunity. 

Another  triumph  was  to  come,  for  the  Scorpion  forged  ahead 
so  far,  that  her  flying  jib-boom  came  in  contact  with  the  Span- 
iard's mizzen-mast,  and  carrying  away  the  former's  spar,  snapping 
it  like  a  pipe-stem,  and  falling  under  foot  in  one  confused  mass. 
Then  another  mighty  shout  arose,  which  we  gladly  responded  to, 
and  for  the  purpose  of  repairing  damages  the  Englishman  dropped 
anchor,  and  let  his  topsails  down  upon  the  caps. 

We  tacked  ship,  and  once  more  stood  towards  the  Englishman  ; 
but  this  time  we  gave  him  a  wide  berth,  and  passed  under  his 


A   LADY    SEA-SICK.  125 

stern.  Men  were  at  work  repairing  the  damage  done  to  his  jib- 
boom,  and  they  displayed  such  activity  that  we  could  not  doubt 
that  the  frigate  would  sail  as  soon  as  new  spars,  in  the  place  of 
those  broken,  were  replaced.  The  officers  were  on  the  quarter- 
deck, and  as  we  slowly  forged  ahead  we  could  easily  make  out 
Horton  and  the  surgeon,  but  they  made  no  sign  that  they  recog- 
nized us,  and  we  were  as  backward  in  that  respect  as  they  were. 
As  we  drew  near  Moro  Castle  the  breeze  freshened,  so  we  eased 
off  the  sheets,  and  kept  the  schooner  free  ;  and  by  the  time  we 
were  outside  of  the  harbor,  we  were  walking  through  the  water 
at  the  rate  of  six  knots  per  hour,  and  a  fair  prospect  of  getting 
more  wind  from  off  the  land  as  the  sun  went  down.  For  the 
first  hour  we  shaped  our  course  to  the  northward,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  getting  an  offing,  and  deceiving  the  captain  of  the  Scor- 
pion into  the  belief  that  we  were  not  intending  to  touch  on  the 
coast,  but  steer  direct  for  some  port  in  the  United  States  for  sup- 
plies. As  soon,  however,  as  we  were  out  of  sight  of  land, 
we  put  our  helm  up  and  ran  down  for  Quitero,  where  our  pro- 
visions and  water  were  waiting,  and  where  our  slave  deck  and 
guns  were  stored.  As  soon  as  we  got  before  the  wind  the 
schooner's  motion  increased,  and  it  was  sufficient  to  cause  Isa- 
dora to  experience  sensations  such  as  she  had  never  before  known. 

"  Come  down  here  and  take  care  of  your  sister,"  Murphy  said, 
just  after  dinner,  while  we  were  running  down  the  coast.  u  She 
is  groanidg  like  an  eighty-gun  ship  in  a  gale,  and  I  am  afraid  will 
carry  away  some  of  her  rigging  unless  preventers  are  rove.  Come 
and  cheer  her  with  the  light  of  your  eyes." 

I  found  Isadora  was  quite  sick,  and  like  most  of  her  nation, 
under  great  apprehensions  when  a  little  ill.  She  had  a  pretty 
fair  attack  of  sea-sickness,  and  for  a  few  minutes  refused  to  be 
comforted. 

"  Give  me  something,"  she  cried,  "  to  allay  this  dreadful  feel- 
ing. I  feel  as  though  I  was  dying.  Kiss  me,  and  bless  me  be- 
fore I  go." 

I  attempted  to  kiss  her ;  but  before  I  could  reach  her  lips .  I 
was  compelled  to  draw  back,  although  I  was  obliged  to  laugh 
heartily  at  my  eScape. 

"  You  no  longer  love  me,"  she  mourned.  "  You  are  tired  of  me." 

"  Not  quite,  dear.  As  soon  as  this  fit  of  sea-sickness  passes 
off  you  will  be  more  beautiful  than  ever,  for  it  will  make  your 
skin  as  transparent  as  a  lily." 


126  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

That  consoled  her.  Only  tell  a  woman  she  can  improve  her 
complexion,  and  she  will  willingly  endure  pain  and  suffering. 
From  this  time  Isadora  did  not  complain  ;  but,  fortunately,  her 
sickness  was  of  short  duration,  and  before  she  had  been  upon  the 
water  a  week  her  sea  legs  were  on,  and  she  professed  to  be  quite 
a  sailor. 

The  next  day,  at  sunrise,  we  anchored  at  the  little  sheltered  port 
of  Quitero,  and  commenced  receiving  from  the  agent's  hands 
provisions  and  water.  As  cruisers  were  known  to  be  in  the 
neighborhood  we  used  much  despatch,  for  fear  they  should  poke 
their  nose  into  port  and  take  us,  without  stopping  to  investi- 
gate whether  right  or  wrong.  On  the  second  day  we  had  our 
guns  and  ammunition  on  board,  and  the  slave  deck  stowed  away 
in  its  place  under  hatches.  We  should  have  got  under  weigh  at 
sundown  had  we  not  had  to  wait  for  orders  as  to  whether  we 
should  visit  Gabun  or  Madagascar.  Letters  were  expected  by 
express  from  Havana,  containing  the  latest  information  as  to  the 
disposition  of  the  English  cruisers,  and,  until  we  received  them, 
our  hands  were  tied.  Murphy  fretted,  but  his  fretting  was  of  no 
use,  and  the  sun  went  down  with  a  slight  breeze  blowing  into  the 
harborr  and  the  promise  of  a  dark  night.  We  had  supper  late, 
for  we  had  been  at  work  hard  all  day,  and  while  we  were  mak- 
ing .sad  havoc  among  the  steward's  delicacies  we  heard  a  boat 
run  alongside,  and  the  next  instant  our  agent  stepped  on  deck. 

"  Hallo  !  what  brings  you  on  board?"  Murphy  asked,  surprised 
at  his  appearance. 

"  Diablo,  I  have  news  of  importance  to  communicate,  or  you 
would  not  see  me  here.  You  must  get  under  weigh  and  be  off  in 
a  hurry,  or  you  will  be  under  the  lee  of  an  English  frigate  before 
morning." 

"  How  is  that  ?    Explain  !  "  cried  Murphy,  somewhat  astonished. 

"  The  Scorpion  left  Havana  yesterday  afternoon,  and  this  eve- 
ning, at  sundown,  was  observed  standing  towards  the  harbor,  under 
shortened  sail.  She  is  determined  to  cut  you  out,  I'll  bet  an 
ounce.  You  must  trust  to  your  heels,  and  be  off  at  once." 

"  And  certainly  fall  into  the  Englishman's  hands.  No,  that 
wouldn't  do.  I'll  warrant  you  that  if  he  has-  followed  us  here, 
he  would  not  let  a  boat  leave  the  harbor  without  being  over- 
hauled. If  we  stay  here  we  shall  have  to  discharge  everything 
during  the  night,  and  let  him  find  the  schooner  empty  in  the  morn- 
ing, for  the  Scorpion  is  determined  to  take  us,  right  or  wrong." 


IN    A   TIGHT   PLACE.  127 

The  captain  mused  long  and  earnestly  after  he  spoke. 

"  What  time  is  it  high  water?"  he  asked,  at  length. 

"  Not  until  one  o'clock,"  replied  the  agent. 

"  If  we  could  keep  them  off  until  that  hour,  we  could  make  our 
escape  by  way  of  the  creek,"  Murphy  said,  after  consulting  a 
small  map  of  the  harbor. 

"  Perhaps  the*  Englishman  knows  that  route  as  well  as  your- 
selves," remarked  the  agent. 

"  I  think  not  —  in  fact  I  am  positive  that  the  creek  is  not  on 
any  map  in  existence  excepting  the  one  I  hold  in  my  hand.  This 
I  bought  of  the  oldest  pilot  on  the  coast,  and  he  buoyed  out  the 
channel.  We  can  go  through,  I  am  confident,  for  I  have  dono 
the  same  thing  once  before,  and  know  every  inch  of  water  .and 
ground.  We  only  draw  seven  feet,  and  at  high  tides  there's  seven 
and  a  half  in  the  shoalest  places." 

"  But  they  may  attempt  to  cut  you  out  during  the  night,"  the 
agent  said.  "Three  or  four  boats  would  trouble  you  if  well 
armed." 

u  They  may,"  the  captain  said,  thoughtfully,  "  but  I  don't  think 
they  will.  The  night  is  dark,  however,  and  Englishmen  are 
plucky.  It  is  best  to  use  all  due  precautions  and  prevent  a  sur- 
prise. Go  on  shore,  and  send  me"  thirty  bold  fellows  who  are 
willing  to  risk  their  lives  for  an  ounce  each.  I  shall  up  anchor 
and  warp  the  schooner  close  to  the  creek,  .where  I  shall  moor  her 
by  kedges,  and  show  the  Englishmen  the  Coquette's  broadside  in 
case  they  want  a  little  brush." 

We  surprised  the  crew  by  ordering  the  anchor  up,  and  still 
more  by  compelling  them  to  maintain  a  perfect  silence  while 
rousing  in  the  chain.  They  knew  that  their  duty  was  to  obey, 
and  they  did  not  grumble  or  ask  a  question.  We  sent  our  boat 
ahead  with  six  stout  fellows,  and  by  the  aid  of  the  schooner's 
sweeps,  soon  placed  the  Coquette  at  the  mouth  of  the  creek,  which 
was  used  entirely  by  fishermen  for  shelter.  Here  we  moored  the 
Coquette,  and  then  made  preparations  for  our  defence. 

To  make  all  sure,  however,  that  the  Scorpion  was  off  the  har- 
bor, Murphy  hired  a  fisherman,  whom  he  could  depend  upon,  to 
take  his  canoe  and  p.addle  out  on  a  reconnoitering  expedition,  and 
bring  back  all  the  information  he  could  obtain  ;  and  while  he  was 
absent  we  continued  our  work  in  earnest.  We  loaded  our  guns 
with  grape  and  canister,  armed  our  men  with  cutlasses  and  pis- 


128  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

tols,  and  then  triced  up  our  boarding  nets,  fore  and  aft,  to  prevent 
the  enemy  from  carrying  our  decks  with  a  rush. 

While  we  were  preparing  for  the  expected  conflict,  two  boat 
loads  of  Creoles  came  on  board,  each  man  armed  with  a  long, 
dangerous-looking  knife,  which  they  were  accustomed  to  use  in 
their  melees  on  shore.  There  were  thirty  of  them,  and  they 
promised  to  risk  their  lives  for  an  ounce  per  man,  and  to  stick  by 
the  vessel  as  long  as  they  considered  it  safe  so  to  do  ;  which 
meant  that  they  would  jump  overboard  and  swim  .to  the  shore  as 
soon  as  they  found  that  the  tide  of  battle  was  turning  against  us. 
To  guard  against  this,  however,  we  distributed  the  Spaniards  in 
different  sections  of  the  schooner,  where  they  would  have  to  fight 
under  the  eyes  of  the  crew,  and,  in  case  of  dissatisfaction,  would 
not  be  so  likely  to  hear  of  it. 

By  the  time  our  preparations  were  completed  it  was  ten  o'clock. 
All  the  lights  were  extinguished  fore  and  aft,  and  it  was  difficult 
to  see  a  canoe  a  few  fathoms  distant  from  the  vessel.  Look- 
outs were  stationed,  with  orders  to  report  if  boats  approached, 
and  the  rest  of  the  crew  were  compelled  to  be  upon  deck,  at  their 
stations,  and  get  what  sleep  they  could. 

"  A  canoe  is  off  the  starboard  quarter,  sir,"  cried  one  of  our 
lookouts,  in  a  low  tone. 

"  Let  it  come  alongside,"  replied  Murphy.  "  It  is  the  fisher- 
man I  expect.'* 

The  canoe  shot  up  alongside,  and  the  man  whom  the  captain 
had  hired  to  reconnoitre  the  position  of  the  frigate  came  on  deck. 

"  Well,"  cried  Murphy,  "  what  have  you  discovered?  " 

"  The  frigate  is  anchored  at  the  mouth  of  the  harbor,  seuor,  and 
no  vessel  can  pass  out  without  being  seen." 

"  Are  they  moving  on  board?  Do  they  look  as  though  intend- 
ing mischief?"  was  the  next  question. 

"  I  paddled  close  to  the  ship,  and  was  hailed.  I  replied  that  I 
was  a  fisherman,  and  I  had  my  lines  with  me  in  ease  they  should 
disbelieve  the  assertion.  I  was  ordered  on  board,  and  I  did  not 
dare  refuse,  for  I  was  close  to  the  sentry's  musket.  They  asked 
me  if  the  schooner  was  at  anchor  in  the  harbor,  and  I  said  that 
I  did  not  know,  for  I  had  been  out  all  day,  and  was  just  returning 
home.  They  believed  me,  senor,  for  they  said  that  to-morrow 
forenoon  they  should  enter  the  harbor  and  capture  the  schooner ; 
for  she  was  a  slaver,  and  a  bold  one  at  that." 

"  What  do  you  think  of  the  news  ?  "  asked  Murphy. 


READY    FOR    AN    ATTACK.  129 

"  I  think  they  were  fearful  that  the  fisherman  would  give  us 
information,  and  they  wish  to  deceive  us  by  pretending  that  the 
attack  will  be  delayed  until  morning,"  I  replied. 

"  Just  my  idea  to  a  hair  ;  but  we  ain't  so  green  as  that,"  Mur- 
phy remarked  ;  and  then  he  continued  to  interrogate  the  fisherman. 

"  Did  you  see  any  movements  on  board,  as  though  boats  were 
to  be  sent  off  during  the  night?  " 

"  No,  senor.  The  boats  were  hanging  at  the  davits,  and  the 
men  handling  cutlasses  and  pistols." 

"  Just  as  I  thought ;  they  mean  to  give  us  a  call  during  the 
night,  and  they  will  commence  the  attack  soon  after  twelve.  If 
we  can  beat  them  off,  we  can  make  our  escape,  and  be  clear  of 
the  land  by  morning." 

"  The  senorita  Isadora  wishes  to  see  you,  senor,"  cried  the 
steward,  just  at  that  moment. 

44  Go  and  comfort  her,"  Murphy  said.  "  I  will  take  care  of  the 
deck  until  you  return.  And  you  needn't  hurry,  you  know,  for 
there  is  no  danger  just  at  present." 

The  lady  was  nervous,  but  soon  went  to  sleep,  and  I  returned 
to  the  deck. 

"  All  quiet  so  far,"  said  Murphy,  who  was  pacing  the  quarter- 
deck, smoking  a  cigar.  "It  is  eight  bells,  and  time  that  opera- 
tions were  commenced  if  they  intend  to  do  anything.  By  one 
o'clock  it  will  be  high  water,  and  we  shan't  wait  for  the  English- 
man to  find  us." 

We  talked  for  a  few  moments  on  the  subject,  but  suddenly  I 
heard  the  sound  of  muffled  oars,  as  I  thought,  upon  the  water,  but  it 
was  so  dark  that  we  could  see  nothing.  We  listened  attentively. 

u  They  are  coming  around  the  point,"  Murphy  said,  pointing 
with  his  finger  to  the  entrarfce  of  the  harbor,  which  was  about 
half  a  mile  distant  from  where  we  were  anchored. 

"  That  is  the  regular  man-of-war  stroke,"  I  remarked.  "  They 
may  attempt  to  disguise  it,  and  pull  as  noiselessly  as  Congo  men ; 
but  one  who  has  ever  heard  men-of-war's-men  pull,  will  recognize 
it  at  once." 

u  Yes  ;  and  I  can  even  tell  the  number  of  boats  that's  coming," 
Murphy  remarked.  "  There's  three  boats,  or  I'm  a  sinner." 

I  knew  that  he  was  a  sinner ;  but  did  not  think  it  was  necessary 
to  say  so,  for  I  did  not  have  a  very  good  opinion  of  myself. 

"  Call  up  the  men  quietly,  and  see  that  they  take  their  stations 
9 


130  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

without  noise.  If  the  boats  should  not  find  us,  I  don't  think  it  is 
necessary  to  mourn  much,  for  who  knows  which  of  us  will  fall 
in  the  fight?" 

I  went  forward ;  but,  to  my  surprise,  found  our  men  were 
on  the  alert,  and  wide  awake,  but  the  Cubans  were  snoring  most 
unmercifully.  They  were  readily  aroused,  however,  and  sta- 
tioned at  their  posts  for  the  purpose  of  cutting  down  the  enemy  if 
he  attempted  to  board  ;  the  handling  of  the  large  guns  being  left 
to  the  crew  of  the  Coquette,  on  account  of  their  knowledge  of 
gunnery,  and  because  we  trusted  more  to  them  than  to  cutlasses 
and  pistols. 

After  returning  to  the  quarter-deck,  I  found  that  the  boats  had 
pulled  to  the  place  where  we  were  anchored  at  sundown  ;  but  not 
finding  us  there,  it  was  evident  that  those  in  command  were  lay- 
ing on  their  oars,  and  deliberating  upon  what  course  to  pursue. 
They  knew  that  we  had  not  escaped,  because  it  was  evident,  from 
the  fisherman's  account,  that  nothing  could  pass  in  or  out  of 
the  harbor  without  being  overhauled. 

After  deliberation,  which  lasted  for  five  minutes,  we  could 
hear  the  boats  pull  slowly  towards  the  shore,  under  the  impres- 
sion that  we  had  kedged  in  for  safety.  We  guessed  that  they 
almost  touched  the  beach,  for  in  a  few  minutes  the  sound  of  oars 
again  ceased,  and  another  deliberation  was  entered  upon.  This 
time  the  conference  was  brief,  and  after  it  was  over  we  found 
that  the  boats  were  headed  in  our  direction. 

"We  have  got  to  fight,"  Murphy  said,  drawing  a  long  breath. 
"  In  half  a  minute's  time  they  will  see  us." 

"  Give  them  an  opportunity  to  think  twice  before  they  attack 
us,"  I  pleaded,  anxious  to  save  shedding  blood. 

"  It  is  hardly  fair  to  talk  of  such  matters  with  an  enemy  within 
gunshot,"  Murphy  answered ;  but  I  had  no  doubt  he  would  com- 
ply with  my  request,  and  I  had  hardly  time  to  listen  to  his  reply, 
when  the  sound  of  oars  became  very  distinct,  and  we  could  see 
the  boats  approaching  by  the  phosphorescent  light  which  the 
blades  made  in  the  water. 

"  Give  way,  boys,"  we  heard  an  ofiicer  say,  who  commanded 
one  of  the  boats.  "  Pull  strong  and  silently,  and  we  shall  take 
them  napping." 

"  Boats  ahoy  !  "  roared  Murphy, 

There  was  no  response. 

"  Boats  ahoy  !  "  repeated  Murphy,  still  louder. 


A    SPIRITED    FIGHT.  131 

Tliere  was  no  reply. 

"  If  the  boats  come  any  nearer,  I  shall  fire  upon  them,"  Mur- 
phy cried. 

"  Give  way,  men,"  shouted  the  officer  who  had  charge  of  the 
cutting-out  expedition,  and  the  men  cheered,  and  bent  to  their 
oars. 

In  another  minute  they  would  have  been  alongside,  and  ready 
to  fight  with  all  the  obstinacy  of  Englishmen. 

"  Fire  !  "  shouted  Murphy. 

I  sprang  to  the  midship  gun,  and  jerked  the  lanyard,  but  there 
was  no  response. 

"  Fire,  for  God's  sake,  fire !  "  roared  Murphy. 

"  The  priming  of  the  guns  has  been  removed,  sir,"  I  replied, 
for  I  saw  that  the  men  who  had  charge  of  the  light  six-pounders 
were  are  as  much  embarrassed  as  myself. 

I  ran  to  the  place  where  the  percussions  were  usually  kept, 
but  they  had  been  removed. 

"  There  is  a  traitor  on  board,"  I  said,  in  a  low  tone. 

"  It  is  no  time  to  ask  who  he  is,"  cried  Murphy.  "  We  will 
deal  with  him  after  we  have  beaten  off  the  enemy.  Use  your 
pistols,  lads.  Take  good  aim  and  fire." 

Our  crew  responded  with  a  cheer,  and  an  irregular  volley  was 
discharged  at  the  boats,  which  must  have  done  considerable  exe- 
cution, for  we  heard  shrill  yells  and  cries  of  pain ;  but  the  boats 
still  came  on. 

I  saw  an  officer  standing  up  in  the  stern-sheets  of  the  foremost 
boat,  and  he  was  urging  the  men  on  with  gestures  and  words.  I 
snatched  my  rifle  from  the  place  where  I  had  put  it  a  few  minutes 
before,  and  took  a  hasty  aim,  and  fired.  I  saw  the  leader  fall 
headlong  upon  the  man  who  was  pulling  the  after  oar,  an<J  his 
death  was  responded  to  by  a  yell  of  rage  and  a  sharp  volley  of 
musketry,  which  knocked  over  two  of  our  assistants,  the  Creoles, 
and  wounded  one  of  our  own  men. 

"  Give  them  another  taste  of  gunpowder,  boys,"  shouted  Mur- 
phy, discharging  his  rifle ;  and  then  using  his  revolver  with 
deadly  effect  upon  the  boats'  crews,  which  were  within  a  few 
fathoms  of  the  schooner. 

Our  men  discharged  their  pistols,  and  then,  drawing  their  cut- 
lasses, awaited'  the  onset.  The  enemy's  boats  ran  alongside  of 
us,  and,  dropping  their  oars,  attempted  to  spring  upon  deck ;  but, 


132  A  SLAVEK'S  ADVENTURES. 

to  their  surprise,  they  found  that  the  boarding  net  offered  a  serious 
objection,  and  while  many  clung  to  the  net  and  hacked  at  it 
with  their  cutlasses,  others  fell  back  into  the  boats,  and  awaited 
further  orders. 

"  Up  and  at  them,  boys  !  "  shouted  the  English  officer.  u  Drive 
the  pirates  into  the  sea  —  exterminate  them.'* 

The  men  responded  with  a  cheer,  and  once  more  attempted  to 
reach  us  ;  but  the  Creoles  and  our  crew  pricked  them  and  stabbed 
at  them  with  their  knives,  so  that  they  were  beaten  back  in  con- 
fusion, and  sought  safety  by  once  more  jumping  int9  their  boats. 

"  Hurrah,  boys,  we  have  them  now  !  "  shouted  Murphy.  "  Sink 
their  boats.  Send  the  cold  shot  amongst  them." 

Our  men  took  the  hint,  and  hurled  thirty  pound  shot  into  the 
boats,  and  some  of  the  missiles  crashed  through  the  planks,  and 
knocked  down  half  a  dozen  of  the  enemy. 

"  Our  boat  is  sinking,"  cried  some  of  the  men-of-war' s-m en,  in 
dismay. 

"Shove  off,  then.  Be  lively,  men.  Out  with  your  oars,  and 
give  way.  Our  lives  depend  upon  it,"  cried  the  only  officer  who 
was  not  killed  or  wounded. 

Our  men,  from  motives  of  humanity,  or  because  they. did  not 
wish  to  strike  a  brave  and  defenceless  foe,  suspended  their  opera- 
tions, and  allowed  the  boats  to  leave  the  schooner's  side  without 
further  molestation. 

"Down  upon  the  decks,  all  of  you,"  cried  the  captain,  as  soon 
as  the  boats  had  got  half  a  cable's  length  from  us.  "  Down  flat, . 
and  lay  there  till  I  tell  you  to  get  up." 

The  men  obeyed,  and  it  was  lucky  that  they  did  so  ;  for  the 
next  instant  a  small  boat-gun,  filled  with  bullets  and  canister, 
was- discharged,  and  the  shot  whistled  around  our  deck  and  tore 
through  our  bulwarks,  scattering  splinters  in  every  direction. 

There  was  a  sharp  cry  of  pain,  and  one  of  our  Creoles,  who 
had  neglected  the  warning,  fell  upon  the  deck  mortally  wounded, 
both  of  his  legs  broken,  and  with  a  hole  in  his  body  large 
enough  to  put  a  man's  fist.  The  boats  did  not  wait  for  a  reply 
to  their  parting  salutation,  but  rowed  off  as  fast  as  possible,  three 
or  four  men  in  each  boat  baling  with  their  hats  to  keep  the  cut- 
ters afloat. 

"  Now,  then,  down  with  our  quarter  boats  and  get  a  line  out 
ahead,"  cried  the  captain.  "  It  is  high  tide,  and  we  have  not  a 


THROUGH    THE    CREEK.  133 

moment  to  lose.  The  enemy  will  return,  and  with  all  the  force 
that  he  can  muster,  determined  to  conquer  or  die." 

We  dropped  our  boats  into  the  water  with  a  rush,  weighed  our 
forward  kedge,  so  the  bow  of  the  schooner  paid  off  by  the  aid  of 
the  wind,  light  as  it  was,  and  when  .she  headed  for  the  creek,  one 
boat  commenced  towing,  and  the  other  weighed  the  second  kedge, 
which  we  had  astern,  brought  it  alongside,  and  then  joined  on  to 
assist  towing.  In  a  few  minutes  we  entered  the  mouth  of  the 
creek,  which  was  not  more  than  six  fathoms  wide,  with  low, 
marshy  shores.  The  creek  was  very  crooked,  and  nearly  a  mile 
in  length.  Once  or  twice  we  just  touched  bottom ;  but  it  was 
soft,  slimy  mud,  and  we  were  enabled  to  slip  over  it  without  los- 
ing much  headway. 

"  Suppose  we  find  the  Scorpion  waiting  for  us?"  I  asked  of 
Murphy,  just  before  we  made  the  mouth  of  the  outlet. 

"  Then  we  must  take  to  the  laud,  and  escape  the  best  way 
we  can." 

"  And  lose  the  vessel?" 

"  Yes,  or  else  lose  our  lives.  We  can  build  another  Coquette, 
but  we  can't  put  breath  into  our  bodies  after  it  is  knocked  out  by 
a  grape  shot.  Steady  as  she  goes." 

"  Steady,  sir,"  responded  the  man  at  the  wheel ;  and  on  we 
went,  doubling  a  short  elbow,  and  then  before  us  was  the  ocean ; 
but  the  night  was  too  dark  to  enable  us  to  tell  whether  the  frigate 
was  within  gunshot  of  us,  or  was  still  lying  at  anchor  off  the 
harbor. 

We  dropped  a  kedge  under  foot,  and  called  the  boats  alongside 
for  the  purpose  of  lauding  our  extra  men  upon  the  beach,,  from 
whence  they  could  easily  reach  the  town  before  morning.  While 
the  men  were  getting  into  the  boat,  I  heard  a  slight  scuffle,  and 
went  to  the  gangway  to  see  what  the  matter  was. 

"  Here's  Thompson,  sir,  says  he  will  go  in  the  boats,"  one  of 
the  men  said. 

Thompson  was  a  new  hand.  We  had  shipped  him  at  Havana, 
and  he  professed  to  be  willing  to  do  anything  for  the  sake  of  sail- 
ing with  us.  He  said  that  he  had  run  away  from  a  British 
frigate  which  was  on  the  station,  and  he  feared  that  if  he  was 
retaken,  he  would  be  flogged  without  mercy.  Murphy  did  not 
like  the  man's  looks,  but  .he  had  taken  him  from  motives  of  hu- 
manity. When  I  saw  what  was  the  cause  of  the  disturbance,  I 


134  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

called  Thompson  out  of  the  boat ;  but  he  grumbled  a  little,  and  I 
determined  to  recollect  it  when  we  got  upon  blue  water ;  for  the 
discipline  of  a  slaver  does  not  permit  of  grumbling  from  any  one, 
no  matter  how  hard  the  work  may  be,  or  how  much  suffering  is 
endured. 

The  boats  were  compelled  to  make  two  trips,  being  loaded 
down  each  time ;  and,  just  as  they  were  ready'  to  shove  off  the 
second  time,  one  of  our  old  hands  sung  out,  — 

"  Here's  Thompson  in  the  boat  again,  sir." 

I  made  him  come  on  board  ;  but  he  did  so  in  rather  a  sulky 
manner,  and  grumbled  out  a  wish  that  he  could  leave,  as  he  was 
tired  of  our  craft  already.  I  kept  my  eyes  on  him  until  the  boats 
shoved  off,  and  then  I  sought  the  captain. 

"  We  have  a  traitor  on  board,"  I  said. 

"  I  wish  I  knew  who  he  is,"  the  captain  said. 

"  I  can  tell  who  I  think  he  is,"  I  replied. 

"Who?" 

"  Thompson." 

"  Curse  him  ;  I  thought  so  myself.  He  shall  swing  for  it,  if 
convicted,  as  sure  as  my  name  is  Murphy." 

It  was  a  common  thing,  twenty  years  ago,  for  men-of-war  to  leave 
one  of  their  crew,  a  truly  reliable  man,  in  ports  frequented  by 
slavers  ;  and  if  the  fellow  managed  to  ship  on  board  one  of  the 
prohibited  craft,  he  would  work  with  a  will,  and  seem  intensely 
interested  in  the  success  of  the  voyage  ;  but  his  eyes  and  ears  were 
opened  to  all  the  secrets  of  the  business,  and  when  they  were 
learned,  he  would  suddenly  disappear  at  the  first  port,  rejoin  his 
ship,  and  communicate  all  the  information  he  had  acquired  to 
his  captain.  The  latter  would  thus  have  an  immense  advantage, 
knowing  as  he  did  the  rendezvous  of  the  most  noted  slavers,  and 
the  names  of  the  craft  engaged  in  the  trade,  and  who  acted  as 
agents  for  them.  In  case  a  slaver  was  captured  by  a  man-of-war 
while  a  spy  was  on  board,  the  latter  generally  had  a  small  piece 
of  paper,  signed  by  his  captain,  which  stated  who  the  bearer  was, 
and  why  he  was  on  board.  This  paper  was  always  concealed,  so 
that  no  one  could  discover  its  whereabouts. 

Our  boats  returned,  and  were  hoisted  up  in  silence,  for  fear 
that  any  noise  should  alarm  the  enemy,  who  was  not  more  than 
a  mile  and  a  half  distant,  even  if  he  was  not  cruising  for  us  close 
at  hand.  As  soon  as  our  boats  were  up,  we  made  sail,  and  ran 


A   LOVER'S  CONFERENCE.  135 

out  from  under  the  high  land,  and  then  swept  the  ocean  for  the 
Scorpion ;  but  nothing  was  in  sight,  and  we  were  free  once  more. 
We  then  piled  on  the  canvas  in  earnest,  set  the  watches,  and 
shaped  our  course  for  Gabun. 

The  decks  were  cleared  up,  the  boats  secured,  and  the  star- 
board watch  went  below,  to  sleep  until  eight  bells.  I  had 
seen  Isadora  but  a  few  minutes  since  the  fight ;  and  then  I  had 
just  time  to  kiss  her  and  assure  her  of-  my  safety,  when  I  was 
compelled  to  return  to  the  deck.  I  was  so  anxious  for  a  few 
minutes'  conversation,  that  I  begged  Murphy  to  keep  my  watch 
for  a  short  time,  while  I  went  below  to  get  a  cigar  ;  but  the  "  old 
man  "  knew  I  was  only  making  an  excuse  to  see  Isadora,  and  he 
growled  his  consent. 

I  found  Isadora  anxiously  awaiting  me,  but  she  could  not  un- 
derstand the  reason  why  I  was  not  able  to  stop  with  and  console 
her  until  morning  ;  and,  after  I  had  explained  all  the  workings 
of  the  watch  system,  she  declared  that,  as  soon  as  she  had  wholly 
recovered  from  her  seasickness,  she  would  keep  me  company 
every  night,  rain  or  shine  ;  but  I  afterwards  found  that  she  much 
preferred  being  under  shelter  on.  squally  nights,  when  the  rain  fell 
in  torrents. 

"  I  am  so  glad  you  have  come  to  see  me  !  '*"  she  said ;  and 
from  the  warmth  of  her  welcome  I  had  no  doubt  of  it. 

"  You. are  not  yet  tired  of  a  sailor's  life?"  I  asked. 

"  Not  as  long  as  I  have  you  with  me,"  she  replied.  "  I  can't 
say  that  I  should  feel  contented  unless  you  were  here ;  for  how 
dull  it  must  be  on  the  water,  where  you  see  the  same  faces  every- 
day, and  the  monotony  is  not  relieved  by  a  single  visit  from  a 
friend !  " 

"  But  are  you  sure  that  you  have  none  of  those  feelings?"  I 
asked. 

"  I  tell  you,  frankly,  that  I  am  content  as  long  as  you  are  with 
me ;  but,  after  all,  how  much  better  it  would  be,  and  how  much 
happier  we  should  feel,  if  we  were  on  shore,  where  no  gales  or 
men-of-war  could  terrify  us  !  Then  we  could  always  be  with  each 
otjier,  and  feel  much  more  content  than  at  the  present  time." 

"  And  we  will  yet  live  so,"  I  said,  most  fervently.  "  Let  me 
make  this  voyage,  and  if  it  is  a  successful  one,  I  shall  save  enough 
to  support  us  without  much  labor.  We  will  hire  a  small  piece  of 
land  in  Cuba,  and  there  spend  the  rest  of  our  days." 


13G  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 


u 


Will  you  do  so?"  she  asked  ;  and  round  my  neck  went  her 
well-formed  arms,  and  upon  my  bosom  she  placed  her  head,  and 
shed  tears  of  delight. 

"  I  promise  you  most  faithfully  that  such  shall  be  the  case. 
You  shall  then  be  my  wife,  if  such  is  your  wish,  and  I  will  be  as 
kind  to  you  as  I  am  now." 

"  And  love  me  as  much  ?  "  she  whispered  in  my  ear. 

I  kissed  her  in  respo'nse,  and  she  was  very  well  satisfied. 

u  I  will  pray  the  saints  to  give  us  prosperous  winds,  and  a 
quick  return  to  Havana,"  she  said ;  and  even  while  I  held  her  in 
my  arms,  she  muttered  a  prayer  that  I  hoped  would  be  heard. 

The  more  I  knew  of  Isadora,  the  more  I  liked  her.  She  was 
worthy  of  a  better  fate  than  being  linked  to  a  slaver,  and  I  knew 
it ;  but  I  could  not  bear  the  idea  of  relinquishing  her,  and  en- 
deavoring to  make  her  lead  a  pure  life.  I  now  think,  when 
I  look  back  upon  the  past,  that  I  could  have  done  so ;  for  her 
affection  for  me  was  unbounded,  and  she  would  have  followed  my 
instructions  or  requests,  had  I  been  serious  in  making  them.  But 
fate  controlled  us,  and  fate  barred  all  attempts  to  bring  the  girl 
to  .a  higher  life.  I  saved  her  from  a  lingering  imprisonment, 
and  perhaps  death  at  the  hands  of  a  public  executioner,  by  my 
selfish  passion  ;  but  she  never  regretted  it,  I  believe,  and  never 
ceased  to  love  me. 

I  left  Isadora  happy  and  confident,  and  went  on  deck,  where  I 
found  Murphy  smoking  a  cigar,  and  walking  back  and  forth  in 
deep  thought. 

"  The  traitor  we  have  in,  our  midst  came  very  near  accom- 
plishing his  object  to-night,"  he- said. 

"  I  was  thinking  of  the  same  thing,  and  wondering  how  we 
could  prove  his  guilt,"  I  replied. 

"  We  will  bring  it  out,  and  then  —  " 

Murphy  did  not  finish  the  sentence,  but  he  pointed  to  our  fore- 
yard-arm  most  significantly. 

"  I  saw  nothing  of  Thompson  during  the  attack,"  I  continued. 

"  Neither  did  I,"  the  captain  said ;  then  turning  to  the  man 
at  the  wheel,  he  asked,  "  Did  you  see  anything  of  Thompson 
to-night  when  the  boats  were  attacking  us  ?  " 

"Thompson,  sir?"  replied  the  man.  "Now  I  come  to  think 
of  it,  sir,  I  don't  think  that  I  did." 

44  Did  you  see  him  near  the  guns  before  the  attack  ?  "  the  cap- 
tain asked. 


A    TRAITOR   IN    OUR   MIDST.  137 

"  Let  me  see,  sir.  Now  I  think  of  it,  I  did  see  him  squinting 
over  the  midship  guns  as  though  he  was  levelling  it." 

"  What  time  was  that?  "  I  asked. 

"  What  time,  sir?  Let  me  see.  It  was  while  the  boats  were  in 
shore,  sir,  and  before  the  attack.'* 

"  And  did  you  see  him  at  the  other  guns  ?  "  Murphy  asked. 

"  At  the  other  guns,  sir?  "  repeated  the  man,  who  was  a  Briton, 
and  had  once  acted  in  the  capacity  of  waiter  at  a  cook-shop  in  the 
lowest  part  of  Liverpool.  "  Yes,  sir  ;  I  think  that  I  did  see  him 
leaning  on  the  six-pounders,  and  slapping  them  familiarly,  as 
though  he  was  chock  full  of  fight." 

"  That  is  good  evidence,"  Murphy  said,  as  we  left  the  vicinity 
of  the  wheel,  and  talked  apart.  UI  did  not  like  the  appearance 
of  the  man  when  he  offered  to  ship,  but  he  seemed  so  eager,  and 
was  not  particular  regarding  wages,  so  I  took  him.  If  he  is 
proved  traitor  he  shall  swing." 

The  next  morning,  at  two  bells,  or  nine  o'clock,  as  soon  as  the 
men  had  eaten  their  breakfast  and  smoked  their  pipes,  they  were, 
greatly  to  their  surprise,  mustered  aft,  and  ranged  in  front  of  the 
quarter-deck,  where  Murphy  was  installed  in  state,  armed  with  a 
pair  of  revolvers,  and  a  cutlass  at  his  side. 

"  My  lads,"  said  the  captain,  suddenly,  "  have  I  not  always 
treated  you  like  men  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir,"  cried  the  crew,  with  one  accord,  with  the  exception 
of  Thompson,  who  had  edged  away  from  the  men  until  he  stood 
outside  of  the  circle. 

"  Then  which  of  you  dare  to  turn  traitor,  and  endeavor  to  give 
the  schooner  up  to  its  enemies?"  thundered  Murphy,  with  eyes 
that  flashed  like  coals  of  fire. 

Not  a  man  spoke,  but  they  looked  their  astonishment.  Thomp- 
son, on  whom  I  had  kept  my  eyes,  turned  deadly  pale,  and  cast 
his  eyes  around  the  horizon,  as  though  the  sight  of  even  the 
frigate  which  he  ran  away  from  would  be  a  welcome  relief. 

"What!  cannot  a  man  among  you  answer  the  question?" 
thundered  Murphy,  casting  his  eyes  upon  the  face  of  every  man 
before  him,  as  though  he  read  his  thoughts. 

"  I  can  speak  for  meself,  cap'n,"  one  old  tar  said,  taking  a  huge 
chew  of  tobacco,  and  rolling  it  about  his  mouth  with  infinite  relish. 
"  I  don't  know  wliat  the  others  may  say,  but  I  can  speak  for  me- 
self, and  I'm  blowed  if  it  be  me." 

"  Nor  me  !  "    "  Nor  me  !  "  cried  the  crew. 


138  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

"Yon  know  what  you  shipped  for  —  don't  you?"  Murphy 
asked. 

u  Yes,  sir  —  to  carry  niggers  to  Havana,"  responded  the  crew. 

I  narrowly  escaped  a  smile  at  the  reply,  which  was  eminently 
a  practical  one,  and  not  exactly  what  the  captain  meant. 

"  And  what  else  did  you  ship  for  ? "  thundered  the  master, 
more  fierce  than  ever. 

"  To  obey  orders  if  we  broke  owners,"  replied  the  old  sailor, 
nodding  to  his  companions  with  the  assurance  that  he  was  right. 

"  Yes,  you  shipped  to  obey  orders,"  the  captain  continued,  "  and 
you  also  shipped  with  the  understanding  that  if  you  proved  treach- 
erous or  mutinous,  death  was  to  be  your  portion,  after  a  fair 
hearing.  Do  you  recollect  that  ?  "  the  captain  asked. 

"  We  recollect  it,  sir,"  the  men  replied,  more  thoughtful. 

"  Then  there  is  no  occasion  for  my  reading  the  documents.  But 
you  know  that  there  has  been  treachery  on  board,  and  that  by  it 
we  were  nearly  captured  last  night.  Now,  on  my  account  and 
your  own,  I  demand  of  you  the  traitor  and  his  punishment." 

The  men  looked  at  each  other,  and  some  few  whispered  to- 
gether. 

**  I  tell  you  what  it  is,  cap'n,"  said  the  old  sailor ;  "  you  knows 
the  boys* that  has  sailed  with  you  more  than  one  vige,  and  you 
knows  that  they  wouldn't  do  such  a  thing  —  don't  you?" 

"  Until  the  traitor  is  found  and  punished,  I  shall  look  upon  no 
one  as  innocent." 

"Can't  you  tell  us,  cap'n,  whom  you 'spec?"  the  old  sailor 
asked,  as  the  men  were  leaving  the  quarter-deck. 

"  No  ;  go  and  see  if  you  can't  hit  upon  the  lubber,  and  if  your 
opinions  square  with  mine,  I  am  satisfied.  Go,  and  be  careful." 

The  men  went  forward  calmly,  and  in  silence.  The  first  thing 
they  did  was  to  light  their  pipes  and  muster  around  the  wind- 
lass ;  for  a  while  they  spoke  only  in  whispers.  I  kept  my  eyes 
on  Thompson,  and  saw  that  he  appeared  to  take  an  active  part 
in  the  matter,  and  apparently  was  endeavoring  to  lead  the  crew 
upon  the  wrong  track. 

"  I  fear  that  fellow  is  a  sea  lawyer,  and  will  induce  the  crew  to 
believe  that  some  one  besides  himself  is  the  guilty  party,"  I  said 
to  Murphy. 

"  Wait  and  see,"  he  replied.  A  sailor's  judgment  is  good,  and 
although  it  may  range  wide  of  the  mark  sometimes,  as  a  general 


THE   TRAITOR.  139 

thing  it  will  settle  down  about  right.  They  will  figure  it  out,  de- 
pend upon  it." 

At  length  I  could  see  that  they  whispered  among  themselves, 
and  looked  with  suspicion  upon  Thompson,  who  talked  less,  and 
seemed  inclined  to  feel  that  his  position  was  getting  to  be  a  pre- 
carious one.  By  and  by  the  mutters  grew  louder,  and  we  could 
hear,  where  we  stood,  on  the  quarter-deck,  the  remarks  that  were 
made. 

"  What  did  you  want  to  go  on  shore  for  in  the  last  boat?  "  de- 
manded old  Jack,  who  was  elected  spokesman,  on  account  of  his 
u  gift  of  gab,"  as  the  men  called  it. 

u  'Cos  I  didn't  want  to  sail  in  a  vessel  that  has  to  fight  her 
way  over  the  big  pond,"  replied  the  suspected  man. 

"  Didn't  you  know  that  you  would  have  to  do  a  little  of  that 
when  you  put  yer  blasted  name  to  the  papers?  "  asked  Jack. 

"  No,  or  I  wouldn't  have  jiued,"  replied  Thompson,  boldly. 

"  That's  a  cussed  lie,  'cos  the  *  old  man '  don't  trick  any  one. 
He  tells  'em  what  they  have  got  to  'spect,  and  they  find  out  that 
what  he  says  is  true.  Ain't  that  so,  lads  ?  "  he  continued,  appeal- 
ing to  the  others. 

"  That  is  true  as  a  log-book,"  the  men  cried,  with  one  accord. 

"  You  see  that  the  others  all  knew  somethiu'  of  the  life  we  was 
to  lead,  and  I  don't,  believe  the  '  old  man '  would  deceive  any 
one  but  a  nigger.  Now,  mate,  you  must  confess  all  that  you 
know  'bout  this  'fair,  and  it  won't  go  so  hard  with  you." 

"  I  don't  know  anything  about  the  matter,"  replied  Thompson, 
obstinately. 

"  Now,  mate,  don't  go  to  flying  into  the  face  of  an  unmarcifnl 
Providence  with  that  'ere  yarn,  'cos  it  won't  go  down  with  sailors, 
although  marines  might  believe  it.  We  know  that  you  was  fool- 
ing your  time  round  those  'ere  guns  arter  they  was. capped,  and 
whar's  the  use  of  your  denying  it?  Didn't  you  mean  to  give  us 
to  the  man-of-war's  boats?" 

"  Upon  my  word  I  didn't,"  responded  Thompson,  most  earnestly. 

"  Then  may  the  devil  have  mercy  upon  you  as  a  most  unnatural 
liar,"  cried  Jack,  with  the  utmost  solemnity  ;  and  the  crew  cried, 
"  Amen  !  "  as  though  it  was  part  of  the  ceremony. 

"You  see  I  was  right  in  my  surmises,"  Murphy  said;  but 
hardly  had  he  finished  speaking  when  the  men  made  a  sudden 
rush,  threw  Thompson  upon  the  deck,  and  despite  his  struggles, 
bound  his  arms  behind  his  back. 


140  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

"  Aft  with  him  !  "  shouted  Jack.  "  Let  the  captain  pronounce 
his  fate.  Death  to  traitors  !  " 

"  Death  to  traitors  !  "  re-echoed  the  crew  ;  and  seizing  Thomp- 
son, they  brought  him  aft  and  threw  him  down  near  the  break  of 
the  quarter-deck. 

"  Cap'n,"  said  Jack,  "  we  have  studied  over  this  'ere  thing,  and 
we  have  got  upon  the  right  track  at  last.  This  man  was  seen 
skulking  below  when  the  boats  attacked  us,  and  he  was  seen  to 
brush  the  caps  from  the  guns.  Do  with  him  as  you  please." 

u  You  have  done  well,  men,"  Murphy  replied.  "  I  suspected 
the  same  person  you  have  convicted,  but  it  is  not  for  me  to  pro- 
nounce his  death.  You  can  say  how  he  shall  die." 

"  A  tail  block  and  a  rope's  end,"  shouted  the  crew. 

"  For  God's  sake,  don't  murder  me  !  "  the  prisoner  cried.  u  Put 
me  ashore  upon  an  island,  set  me  adrift  in  a  boat ;  give  me 
some  chance  for  my  life." 

"  Death  to  the  traitor  !  "  cried  the  crew  ;  and  one  of  the  men, 
seizing  a  tail  block,  ran  up  the  fore  rigging  and  fastened  it  to  the 
fore  yard-arm.  A  second  seized  the  end  of  a  rope,  and  passed  it 
up  to  the  first,  and  it  was  rove  through  the  block  and  led  on  deck. 
The  doomed  man  was  raised  and  carried  forward ;  but  at  this 
stage  of  proceedings  I  went  below,  for  I  did  not  like  to  look 
upon  the  hanging  of  the  poor  wretch,  guilty  as  I  knew  he  was. 

I  heard  the  word  given,  and  a  run  by  those  who  held  the  rope  ; 
and  when  I  went  on  deck  half  an  hour  afterwards,  all  was  quiet, 
and  the  body  of  Thompson  was  miles  astern,  the  ocean  for  a 
grave. 


CHAPTER   VIII. 

A   BEAUTIFUL   NIGHT. A    SHIP   ON   FIRE,    AND   WHAT   WE   SAVED 

FROM  HER. A   RIVAL   TO    ISADORA,  AND   WHAT   SHE   THOUGHT 

OF   IT. 

ON  the  evening  of  the  third  day  from  Cuba,  Isadora  and  my- 
self were  leaning  over  the  rail,  talking  of  past  scenes  and  future 
ones.  The  wind  was  light,  and  the  ocean  as  calm  as  though 
asleep.  The  schooner  was  moving  through  the  water  not  faster 


A    VESSEL   ON    FIRE.  141 

than  three  knots  per  hour,  and  not  a  sound  was  heard  except 
the  rippling  of  the  water  as  the  Coquette  cut  her  way  through  it, 
the  creaking  of  the  masts  and  yards,  or  the  song  of  a  sailor  who 
was  trying  to  keep  himself  awake  by  singing  such  ballads  as  he 
had  picked  up  during  his  cruise  over  the  world.  Murphy  had 
retired  to  his  cabin  to  drink  a  glass  of  grog  and  smoke  a  cigar 
before  "  turning  in  "  for  the  night,  and  I  was  left  upon  the  quarter- 
deck with  Isadora,  who,  for  the  first  time  since  we  had  been  at 
sea,  proposed  to  stand  watch  in  my  company ;  and  very  happy 
I  was  to  find  her  willing  to  keep  her  eyes  open  for  the  sake  of 
my  society. 

"  We  only  need  the  moon  to  make  the  scene  romantic,"  I  said, 
in  reply  to  some  observation  of  the  lady. 

44  Then  we  need  want  it  no  longer  ;  for  see,  there  she  rises  like 
a  ball  of  fire  from  the  ocean,"  Isadora  said,  pointing  to  the  hori- 
zon, about  two  points  off  our  weather  bow. 

I  gazed  in  the  direction  indicated,  and  to  my  surprise  saw  a 
bright  light  upon  the  water,  which  did  look  some  like  the  moon 
when  it  first  rises  from  the  bed  of  the  ocean.  But  in  this  instance 
I  knew  it  was  in  the  wrong  quarter  of  the  horizon  for  the  moon 
to  rise,  and  secondly  it  was  not  time  for  the  moon  to  show  itself, 
at  any  rate. 

"  That  is  not  the  moon,  Isadora,"  I  said,  looking  through  a 
spy-glass.  "  It  is  a  vessel  on  fire." 

"  The  saints  preserve  us  —  but  perhaps  there  are  people  on 
board,  and  they  need  help,"  she  said,  earnestly. 

"  I  have  no  doubt  of  it,"  I  replied.  "  I  will  call  Murphy,  and 
see  what  he  is  disposed  to  do." 

"  Light  off  the  starboard  bow,  sir,"  cried  the  lookout,  who  had 
been  napping,  and  just  waked  up.  The  cry  aroused  the  drowsy 
watch,  and  all  hands  were  soon  on  deck  looking  with  awe  at 
the  fire. 

I  stepped  into  the  cabin,  and  found  the  captain  just  draining  the 
last  drop  of  grog  from  a  tumbler. 

"  What's  the  row?"  he  asked. 

"  I  can  make  out  a  bright  light  off  the  starboard  bow,  and  it 
looks  like  a  vessel  on  fire,"  I  replied. 

"  And  if  we  go  near  her  we  shall  be  crowded  with  passengers, 
and  thus  ruin  our  voyage,"  was  the  heartless  response. 

"  I  wasn't  thinking  of  that,"  I  said.  "  I  was  thinking  what  we 
could  do  to  save  the  unfortunates." 


142  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

"  Yes,  it's  just  like  you." 

"  And  it  would  not  surprise  me  to  hear  you  order  the  course 
of  the  vessel  changed,  and  do  all  you  can  to  save  the  lives  of  the 
crew,"  I  rejoined  quietly,  knowing  that  he  was  not  near  as  hard- 
hearted as  he  appeared. 

"  And  who's  going  to  pay  me  for  the  loss  of  time  and  for  the 
loss  of  provisions,  I  should  like  to  know  ?  "  demanded  Murphy, 
with  a  scowl. 

"  Why,  when  you  lie  upon  your  bed,  knowing  that  you  will 
never  rise  from  it  a  live  man,  you  will  look  back  to  see  what 
charitable  deeds  you  have  performed ;  and  I  hope  that  the  rescue 
of  a  crew  from  a  burning  vessel  will  be  the  most  pleasant  picture 
that  you  can  conjure  up." 

"  There's  something  in  that,  after  all,"  the  captain  said  ;  "  and 
even  if  I  don't  carry  a  nigger  to  Havana  for  six  months  to  come, 
it  shan't  be  said  that  I  run  away  from  a  burning  vessel,  and  left 
the  crew  to  starve  in  boats.  Go  on  deck  and  alter  the  course  of 
the  schooner,  and  I  will  join  you  in  a  minute." 

"What  do  you  make  of  her?  "'the  captain  asked,  as  he  wad- 
dled up  some  time  afterwards. 

"  A  ship,  sir." 

"  And  we  are  three  miles  from  her  at  least?" 

"  Just  about  that  distance,  sir." 

"  At  the  rate  we  are  moving  through  the  water,  we  shan't  be 
able  to  speak  her  for  more  than  an  hour,"  Murphy  said.     "  Take  . 
the  boat  and  four  hands,  and  pull  to  the  vessel,  and  do  what  you 
can  to  save  the  crew  and  the  effects  of  the  officers." 

To  hear  was  to  obey. 

As  we  approached  the  ship,  I  saw  that  the  fire  had  communi- 
cated to  the  foremast,  and  was  ascending  with  wonderful  rapidity. 
I  looked  hard  to  discover  if  there  was  any  one  on  board,  but  the 
deck  appeared  to  be  deserted,  and  the  boats  were  not  hanging  at 
the  davits. 

"  I  don't  see  any  one  on  deck,  sir,"  said  one  of  the  men,  pull- 
ing with  one  hand,  and  looking  at  the  wreck.  "  It's  my  opinion 
that  they  have  cleared.  She  looks  like  a  greaser,  and  they  don't 
stop  long  arter  a  fire's  on  board." 

The  man  meant  that  she  was  a  Spanish  ship,  and  was  manned 
by  Spaniards. 

"  I've  heard  tell  them  'ere  fellers  carry  lots  of  yallar  boys  oa 


THE    BURNING    SHIP.  143 

their  trips,"  cried  one  of  the  men,  named  Bill,  a  native  of  Maine, 
and  a  stout,  active  sailor. 

"  And  if  we  could  get  hold  of  'em,  there'd  be  no  one  to  deny 
our  right  to  'em,"  suggested  another. 

"  Hadn't  we  better  go  alongside,  sir?"  asked  the  other  oars- 
man. "  We  can  get  up  by  the  mizzen  channels,  and  the  fire  don't 
seem  to  make  much  headway  as  yet." 

"  Besides,  some  human  critter  may  be  on  board  jist  as  likely 
as  not,"  Bill  remarked,  seeing  that  I  still  hesitated. 

"  We  ought  to  save  'em  if  sich  is  the  case,"  another  remarked. 

"  If  we  are  going  to  do  it,  we  haven't  got  much  time,  I  guess," 
said  the  Maine  man. 

"  Give  way.  boys,"  I  cried  ;  "  we  will  see  what  the  old  craft  has 
on  board." 

The  men  dipped  their  oars  into  the  water,  and  with  one  vigor- 
ous stroke  sent  the  boat  alongside,  under  the  mizzen  channel. 

"  Two  of  you  stay  in  the  boat,  and  stand  ready  to  shove  off  at 
a  second's  warning,"  I  said,  as  I  swung  myself  into  the  channel 
by  the  aid  of  the  chains. 

The  Maine  man  and  Jack,  who  pulled  the  after  oar,  followed 
me  on  deck,  where  I  saw,  by  a  hurried  glance,  that  the  ship  was 
about  nine  hundred  tons'  burden,  and  built  for  the  accommodation 
of  passengers.  The  decks  were  strewed  with  clothing  and  provis- 
ions, as  though  the  crew  had  taken  their  departure  in  a  hurry, 
and  had  not  stopped  to  place  in  the  boats  one  half  the  articles 
which  they  had  collected.  The  smoke  from  the  fire,  owing  to  the 
light  wind,  arose  in  dark  clouds,  but  did  not  reach  that  portion 
of  the  vessel  upon  which  we  stood. 

"  Now,  then,  let  us  search  for  the  yaller  boys,"  said  Bill,  spring- 
ing from  the  poop  deck  and  looking  into  the  cabin,  which  was 
filled  with  smoke,  —  for  it  was  rolling  out  of  the  doors  and  sky- 
lights in  profusion. 

Bill  hesitated  for  a  moment,  and  seemed  undecided  what  to  do. 
Pie  found  that  there  was  more  smoke  than  he  bargained  for. 

"  Down  on  your  hands  and  knees,  and  creep,"  I  said.  The 
man  took  the  hint,  and  disappeared. 

I  followed  him  in  the  same  humble  manner,  and  was  agree- 
ably surprised  to  find  that  the  smeke  was  not  so  dense  but  that 
it  could  be  borne  in  a  recumbent  position ;  and  crept  on  until  I 
suddenly  found  that  I  was  rolling  headlong  down  half  a  dozen 


144  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

steps,  and  for  a  few  minutes  was  somewhat  bewildered  by  my 
fall.  I  looked  around,  and  as  the  smoke  was  not  very  thick,  I 
could  see  that  I  had  fallen  down  the  steps  of  the  lower  cabin, 
which  must  have  been  used  by  lady  passengers,  for  on  the  tran- 
som were  lying  a  guitar,  needle-work,  and  a  lady's  dresses,  or 
what  I  supposed  to  be  the  rigging  of  a  woman,  for  I  did  not  stop 
to  examine  them.  I  was  just  about  to  take  a  look  into  a  state- 
room when  I  heard  hard  breathing,  and  in  the  next  moment  there 
was  a  loud  crash,  something  similar  to  that  which  I  had  made  a 
few  moments  before,  and  down  the  steps  rolled  Bill,  one  of  my 
boat's  crew,  who,  in  making  his  examination  upon  his  hands,  had 
fallen  into  the  same  way  that  I  had. 

"Blast  me,  Mr.  Robert,  but  is  this  you?"  he  asked,  in  sur- 
prise. "  How  did  you  get  here,  sir?  I  rolled  down  the  steps." 

44  O.  I  found  the  steps,"  I  replied,  for  I  didn't  care  about  expos- 
ing my  method  of  descending  them  ;  and  the  answer  was  satisfac- 
tory. 

"  Haven't  found  any  treasure  yet  —  have  you,  sir?"  Bill  asked. 

"  Not  a  cent." 

u  Nor  I,  but  I  think  that  there  must  be  some  in  the  transom. 
I'll  look  and  see." 

He  wrenched  off  the  covering,  and  while  he  was  at  work,  I 
looked  into  the  state-rooms.  I  found  that  they  had  undoubtedly 
been  occupied  during  the  passage,  for  various  articles  were  scat- 
tered upon  the  deck  ;  and  while  I  was  feeling  in  one  of  the  berths 
to  see  if  any  person  had  been  left  behind,  my  hand  came  in  con- 
tact with  a  small  box,  not  larger  than  a  man's  hand.  It  felt  cold 
and  heavy,  so  I  had  the  curiosity  to  hold  it  close  to  my  eyes  for 
the  purpose  of  seeing  what  it  was  composed  of.  It  was  of  yellow 
rnetal,  and  perhaps  gold,  although  the  light  was  so  bad  that  I 
could  not  tell  precisely.  I  saw  that  there  was  a  small  key  in  the 
box,  which  I  put  in  my  pocket ;  and  then  thrust  'the  casket  in 
the  bosom  of  my  shirt,  and  continued  my  investigations. 

I  had  already  examined  three  state-rooms,  and  found  nothing 
that  was  worth  carrying  off,  excepting  the  casket  which  I  have 
alluded  to,  so  after  .glancing  at  Bill,  and  seeing  that  he  was  hard 
at  work  upon  the  transom  with  an  axe,  which  he  had  found  some- 
where, I  opened  the  door  of  the  last  state-room,  on  the  starboard 
side  ;  but  the  door  was  obstructed  by  something,  and  I  was  com- 
pelled to  press  hard  before  I  could  gain  a  sufficient  space  to  admit 


I   MAKE  A   DISCOVERY.  145 

my  head  and  body.  I  am  afraid  I  was  not  very  gentle,  for  I 
recollect  uttering  an  oath  as  I  stepped  into  the  room,  and  trod 
upon  something  that  made  my  heart  beat  quick  with  apprehension. 

I  stooped  down  and  felt  with  my  hands ;  they  came  in  con- 
tact with  flesh ;  and  by  a  little  manipulation  I  was  enabled  to 
make  out  that  upon  the  deck  was  the  body  of  a  female,  but 
whether  dead  or  alive  was  a  question  which  I  did  not  dare  to  ask 
myself,  or  to  answer  if  I  had.  I  took  the  insensible  form  in  my 
arms,  and  as  I  did  so  thought  that  I  could  detect  the  faint  throb- 
bing of  a  heart  beneath  my  hand,  and  the  face,  although  I  could 
not  see  it  distinctly  for  the  smoke,  was  soft  and  warm  as  it  touched 
my  own  bearded  phiz. 

"Have  ye  found  anything,  Mr.  Robert?"  asked  Bill,  as  I 
entered  the  cabin. 

"  Yes,"  I  replied,  steering  for  the  steps. 

"  What  is  it  —  silver  and  gold,  sir  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  No,  something  better,"  I  responded. 

"  Not  diamonds,  sartirily  ?  "  he  asked,  as  he  approached  me. 

I  made  no  response,  but  Bill  was  determined  to  see  what  I  had, 
and  stuck  close  until  he  got  a  glimpse  of  the  clothes,  then  re- 
turned to  the  transom  in  disgust,  muttering,  — 

"  Darned  if  the  mate  ain't  carrying  off  all  the  bedclothes,  as 
though  we  hadn't  got  fleas  enough  on  board  of  the  Coquette 
now  !  "  and  then  through  the  smoke  I  saw  him  return  to  the  tran- 
som, and  recommence  his  search  for  gold. 

I  held  my  breath  when  I  reached  the  main  cabin,  and  rushed 
for  the  steps,  still  bearing  my  burden  in  my  arms.  I  knew  the 
direction  of  the  door  which  led  on  deck,  and  reached  it,  although 
most  suffocated  for  the  want  of  air.  Through  the  door  I  stag- 
gered and  reached  the  deck,  where  I  fell  gasping  for  breath,  and 
with  a  strange  dizziness  in  my  head,  that,  for  a  few  seconds,  len- 
dered  me  almost  unconscious  of  my  burden  or  myself.  But  I  re- 
vived sufficiently  to  know  that  the  woman  whom  I  had  carried 
in  my  arms  needed  some  attention  ;  and  once  more  lifting  her,  I 
gained  the  poop  deck,  where  fresh  air  was  to  be  obtained,  and 
where  the  smoke  had  not  yet  reached. 

Then,  for  the  first  time,  I  looked  at  the  face  of  my  burden,  and 
by  the  bright  light  which  the  burning  foremast  afforded,  was  as- 
tonished at  its  wonderful,  its  heavenly  beauty.  She  was  a  young 
girl,  not  more  than  sixteen  years  of  age,  with  dark  hair,  long  and 
10 


146  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

very  profuse,  with  skin  that  was  so  pure  and  white,  it  looked 
like  polished  marble  more  than  flesh.  For  a  few  seconds  I 
could  not  move,  so  entranced  was  I  by  the  looks  of  that  face ; 
but  I  suddenly  recollected  that  if  I  wished  to  save  so  much 
loveliness,  it  was  necessary  I  should  take  some  measures  to 
restore  the  lady  to  consciousness  ;  but  I  hardly  knew  how  to  go  to 
work,  for  somehow  I  felt  even  to  touch  her  hand  would  be  a  sin 
on  my  part.  I  tried  her  pulse,  and  it  beat  a  faint  response  to 
the  pressure  of  my  fingers,  and  then  I  placed  my  hand  near  the 
region  of  her  heart,  and  was  overjoyed  to  find  that  its  pulsations 
had  not  ceased.  I  knew  that  a  little  water  would  do  more 
than  anything  else  to  restore  her,  and  cast  my  eyes  over  the  deck 
to  find  the  scuttle  butt,  but  it  was  on  the  forward  part  and  sur- 
rounded by  flames.  I  recollected  that  we  had  a  water  keg  in  the 
boat,  and  flew  to  the  mizzen  chains,  looked  over,  and  saw  that 
the  two  men  were  still  in  her. 

"  Jack,"  I  said,  "  pass  me  up  a  pot  of  water,  and  bear  a  hand." 
"  Ay,  ay,  sir,"  replied  the  man  ;  and  then  looking  up  he  asked, 
"  Have  you  found  anything,  sir,  that  is  worth  carrying  off  ?  " 
"  Yes." 

"  What  is  it,  sir?"  the  man  asked,  pausing  in  the  act  of  pour- 
ing out  the  water. 

"  You  will  soon  know  ;  so  bear  a  hand  with  the  water,"  I  re- 
plied. 

Jack  obeyed,  but  I  could  hear  him  mutter  to  his  companion,  — 
"  They  have  got  a  box  of  gold  ;  now  mind  what  I  say." 
The  water  was  passed  up,  and  with  it  I  hurried  to  the  lady, 
who  did  not  manifest  any  signs  of  consciousness.  I  raised  her 
head  and  poured  a  little  down  her  throat,  and  then  bathed  her 
face  and  forehead  ;  but  there  were  no  signs  of  life.  I  was  almost 
in  despair,  but  I  did  not  relax  my  efforts.  I  chafed  her  hands, 
and  as  she  had  on  loose  sleeves  I  rubbed  her  arms  until  they  were 
aglow  with  friction,  and  once  more  I  poured  a  few  drops  of  water 
in  her  mouth  —  a  mouth  that  looked  radiant  with  small  teeth, 
white  as  pearls,  —  and  to  my  intense  satisfaction  my  patient  ut- 
tered  a  sigh  and  half  opened  her  eyes,  but  immediately  closed 
them  again  as  though  the  awakening  was  painful. 

Just  at  this  moment,  when  my  anxiety  was  the  most  intense, 
Bill  staggered  from  the  cabin,  blinded  and  almost  choked  by  the 
smoke,  bearing  in  his  arms  a  box  that  was  about  tea  inches  long 
and  five  wide. 


RESTORED   TO    CONSCIOUSNESS.  147 

"  Hang  me  if  I  hain't  found  the  greaser's  money,"  he  shouted, 
as  soon  as  he  was  able.  "  I've  got  one  box,  and  there's  more 
of'em."- 

He  came  close  to  me  and  deposited  his  box,  and  then  looked  at 
my  precious  charge  for  a  moment. 

"  Don't  you  think,  Mr.  Robert,"  he  asked,  "  that  it's  best  to 
let  the  woman  go,  and  do  what  we  can  to  save  the  money  ?  " 

"  You  brute  !  "  I  said,  "  would  you  leave  the  girl  to  die  for 
the  sake  of  a  few  pounds  of  gold  or  silver  ?  " 

"  Ah,"  he  answered,  "  I  wouldn't  give  that  box  for  all  the  wo- 
men in  the  land  of  the  greasers." 

"  Then  go  for  more,  and  leave  me  to  tend  this  poor  girl,  who, 
for  aught  that  I  know,  may  be  dying.  Call  up  the  men  in  the 
boat,  and  get  out  what  you  can  ;  and  work  lively,  for  the  flames 
are  coming  aft." 

"  Ay,  ay,  sir,"  he  returned,  rather  gruffly ;  and  in  a  moment 
the  other  men  were  on  deck,  and  followed  Bill  into  the  cabin,  al- 
though I  heard  them  whisper  that  the  "  mate  would  have  another 
woman  in  tow  afore  long." 

I  again  bathed  my  patient's  head  and  face,  and  then  had  the 
satisfaction  of  seeing  a  pair  of  dark  eyes  open  and  look  around 
with  the  most  intense  astonishment. 

For  a  few  moments  after  the  lady  opened  her  eyes,  she  gazed 
at  me  fixedly,  as  though  she  knew  not  where  she  was,  or  what 
had  happened.  Then  her  eyes  were  turned  to  the  fire,  and, 
uttering  a  faint  moan,  she  covered  them  with  her  hands. 

u  Fear  nothing,  senorita,"  I  said,  speaking  in  the  Spanish 
tongue.  "  You  are  with  friends,  and  those  who  will  save  you." 

She  listened  in  silence,  and  then  uncovered  her  eyes,  and  looked 
at  me  attentively.  I  don't  think  she  saw  anything  to  alarm  her, 
for  the  terror  which  she  manifested  gradually  disappeared,  and 
at  length  she  spoke. 

"Who  are  you?"  she  asked;  and  I  observed  that,  as  she 
spoke,  she  gradually  attempted  to  withdraw  her  form  from  my 
arms,  at  which  act  I  felt  grieved,  but  did  not  make  objections. 

"  I  am  an  officer,"  I  replied. 

"  But  not  on  board  of  this  ship,"  she  said.  "  I  have  no  recol- 
lection of  ever  having  seen  your  face  before." 

"You  are  right,  senorita,"  I  replied,  most  respectfully,  and 
still  speaking  in  the  Spanish  tongue,  which  I  judged  was  her 


148  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

native  language.  '*  Had  I  been  an  officer  on  board  of  this  ship," 
I  continued,  "  I  should  never  have  left  so  much  grace  and  loveli- 
ness to  perish  by  fire.  It  was  cowardly  to  do  so." 

"  They  forgot  me,"  she  said ;  "  the  saints  pardon  them,  but 
they  must  have  forgotten  that  I  was  on  board." 

"  And  when  you  awoke,"  I  said,  "  you  found  the  ship  de- 
serted?" 

44 1  know  not ;  but  there  was  smoke  in  the  state-room,  and  I 
Bought  to  reach  the  deck  by  passing  through  the  cabin.  I  was 
bewildered  and  terrified,  and  driven  back.  I  had  just  sense 
enough  to  open  the  ventilator,  and  recollect  nothing  more.  I  can- 
not find  words  to  express  my  gratitude,  but  my  father  shall,  if  we 
ever  see  him." 

"May  I  ask  the  name  of  your  father,  senorita?"!  inquired. 

"  Don  Ingracia,  of  the  plantation  of  St.  Filipe,"  she  answered. 

"  Ten  miles  from  Havana  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  The  same,  senor." 

Her  father  was,  then,  the  richest  man  in  Cuba.  I  had  heard  of 
him  often,  as  being  a  large  owner  of  slaves,  and  the  possessor  of 
several  plantations  in  the  department  of  St.  Filipe. 

"  And  how  could  he  trust  his  daughter  such  a  distance  from 
home  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Simply  because  I  begged  him  to  let  me  visit  Spain,  for  the 
purpose  of  seeing  the  country  and  my  relatives." 

Her  eyes  filled  with  tears,  and  she  covered  them  with  her  hands, 
and  remained  silent.  I  did  not  interrupt  her  grief;  but  was 
looking  at  her,  and  wishing  that  I  had  the  power  to  console  her, 
when  my  men  emerged  from  the  cabin,  blinded  and  choked  by 
the  smoke,  which  was  increasing  rapidly.  They  dashed  the 
boxes  which  they  carried  on  the  deck,  and  rushed  upon  the 
poop  for  air,  which  they  inhaled  as  though  dying  for  the  want 
of  it. 

"  Have  you  got  all?  "  I  asked. 

"  All  that  we  can  find,  sir,  owing  to  this  smoke.  Curse  it, 
I'm  almost  strangled,"  replied  Jack. 

"  Then  into  the  boat  with  the  boxes,"  I  said.  "  The  fire  is 
spreading  aft  rapidly,  and  in  a  few  minutes  will  reach  the  maga- 
zine." 

The  men  recovered  from  their  coughing  fit,  and  commenced 
lowering  the  boxes  into  the  boat.  There  were  six  of  them,  and 


LEAVING   THE   WRECK.  149 

each  box  weighed  as  much  as  a  hundred  pounds,  judging  from 
the  manner  in  which  the  men  handled  them. 

"  The  boxes  are  all  aboard,  sir/'  said  Bill.  "  Shall  we  put  the 
gal  into  the  boat,  too  ?  " 

44  No,  you  brute.  I  will  place  her  there  myself.  I  can't  trust 
you." 

44  Senorita,"  I  said,  u  we  must  leave  the  ship,  for  the  fire  will 
soon  spread  to  the  quarter-deck.  We  belong  to  a  vessel  which  is 
not  more  than  half  a  mile  from  us,  and  on  board  of  her  you  will 
meet  with  a  warm  welcome,  and  with  one  of  your  own  sex." 

She  gave  me  her  hand  as  I  spoke,  and  arose.  I  led  her  to  the 
rail,  but  at  the  sight  of  the  boat,  so  far  beneath,  her  heart  almost 
failed,  and  she  shrank  back. 

44  Better  let  us  put  a  whip  on  the  crotchet  yard,  sir,  and  whip 
her  into  the  boat  by  the  aid  of  a  strap  just  below  her  flippers." 

The  advice  which  the  man  offered  was  not  to  be  entertained 
for  a  moment.  The  wretch  wanted  me  to  put  a  strap  around  her 
slight  waist,  and  hoist  her  into  the  boat  like  a  barrel  of  sugar. 

"  Fear  nothing,  senorita,"  I  said,  when  she  shrunk  back.  "  I 
will  land  you  in  the  boat  without  accident ;  "  and  as  I  spoke,  I 
put  my  arm  around  her  waist,  lifted  her  gently  from  the  deck, 
and  stepped  into  the  channel.  Then  grasping  one  of  the  chains, 
I  placed  one  foot  upon  the  sheathing,  and  was  within  a  few  inches 
of  the  boat. 

44  Now,  senorita,"  I  said,  44  let  go  your  hold  and  trust  to  me." 

She  did  so,  and  I  held  her  for  a  moment  with  my  right  arm, 
pressed  close  to  my  heart,  and  the  next  instant  I  reached  the  boat 
in  safety,  and  deposited  my  lovely  burden  in  the  stern-sheets. 

44  Come  on,  boys,"  I  said  ;  44  we  have  saved  all  that  we  can  from 
the  ship." 

The  men  tumbled  over  the  rail,  and  were  in  the  boat  in  a 
moment. 

"  Shove  off,"  I  cried  ;  and  with  a  few  strokes  of  the  oars  the 
boat  was  sent  some  distance  from  the  burning  vessel. 

44  Where's  the  Coquette,  sir  ?  "  asked  Jack  ;  and  the  men  lay 
on  their  oars  and  looked  for  the  schooner ;  but  owing  to  the  light 
of  the  burning  vessel,  we  could  see  but  a  short  distance. 

Suddenly  a  blue  light  flashed  over  the  water,  about  half  a  mile 
off  our  starboard  quarter. 

44  There's  the  old  lady,  sure  'nuff.     I  knew  they  wouldn't  desert 


150  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

us,'*  Bill  cried  ;  and  dipping  the  oars  into  the  water,  the  boat  was 
headed  towards  the  schooner. 

We  gained  the  side  of  the  slaver,  when  Murphy  looked  over 
the  rail  in  surprise. 

u  Another  petticoat,  by  George,"  he  said.  "  Where  in  the 
devil's  name  did  you  pick  her  up?" 

"  Hush,"  I  replied,  softly;  "  we  have  got  a  prize,  and  one  bet- 
ter than  six  hundred  slaves." 

"  What  do  you  mean?  "  he  asked. 

"  She  is  the  daughter  of  Don  Ingracia,  the  rich  planter  of  Cuba. 
We  found  her  on  board,  having  been  deserted  by  the  cowardly 
crew." 

"  The  devil !  "  whistled  Murphy.  "  You  have  made  a  strike,  and 
no  mistake.  Pass  her  up,  and  let  me  have  a  look  at  her." 

We  had  steps  for  the  lady  to  go  up  the  side  of  the  vessel ;  and, 
by  my  assistance,  she  was  soon  lauded  on  deck  and  conducted  to 
the  cabin,  where  Isadora  received  her  with  true  woman's  kind- 
ness ;  and  together  they  disappeared  in  a  state-room,  where  we 
left  them  to  exchange  confidences  if  they  pleased.  Just  at  that 
moment  the  second  mate  came  for  orders. 

*'  Where'll  you  have  them  'ere  boxes  put,  sir?  "  he  asked. 

"  How  many  are  there?"  asked  Murphy. 

"Six,  sir.  and  cussed  heavy." 

"  Do  you  know  what's  in  'em?  "  asked  the  captain. 

"  I  haven't  the  slightest  idea,"  I  replied,  "  but  I  think  they 
contain  silver  or  gold." 

*k  Bring  'em  aft,"  cried  Murphy,  "  and  send  the  carpenter  here. 
We'll  soon  see." 

The  crew  were  excited,  and  crowded  aft,  as  far  as  they  dared, 
to  get  a  glimpse  of  the  contents  of  the  boxes. 

"  Bring  a  lantern  here,  steward,"  Murphy  roared ;  and  when 
the  light  was  brought,  a  few  vigorous  blows  removed  the  cover  of 
a  box,  and  the  glitter  of  gold  met  our  eager  gaze. 

"  Hurrah  !  "  roared  Murphy  ;    "  yaller  boys,  by  —  ." 

"  Our  forten's  made  now,  for  sarten,"  cried  one  of  the  men  ; 
and  for  a  moment  the  crew  crowded  around  the  box,  and  forgot 
all  discipline. 

"Hullo!"  cried  the  captain,  looking  up  and  finding  that  he 
was  surrounded  by  his  men  ;  "  what  in  the  devil's  name  are  you 
doing  here  ?  Go  forward,  all  of  you." 


A   LITTLE    AVARICE.  151 

"  We  only  want  to  see  what  the  boxes  contain,  captain,"  one 
of  the  men  said.  "  We  had  hard  work  to  git  'em,  and  it's  only 
right  that  we  should  know  what's  what.". 

Murphy  made  no  reply,  but  he  walked  quietly  up  to  the  man, 
and  struck  him  a  blow  that  sent  him  reeling  into  the  scuppers. 

44  Blast  yer,  will  you  stop  to  dispute  my  orders  agin  ?  "  the  cap- 
tain said.  "  When  I  give  an  order,  I  want  it  obeyed.  Do  you 
mind  that?" 

The  crew  began  to  slink  forward,  but  did  not  say  a  word,  ex- 
cepting Bill,  who  was  knocked  down. 

u  I  didn't  mean  anything  that  wasn't  right,  cap'n,"  he  said. 

"  O,  you  didn't  —  did  you?  Then  don't  do  it  again,  my  man, 
'cos  I'm  not  to  be  trifled  with." 

The  men  went  forward  without  a  murmur  that  we  could  hear, 
and  I  felt  very  thankful  for  it ;  for  I  was  dying  with  fear  that  the 
new  arrival  would  hear  the  disturbance,  and  get  alarmed  at  her 
first  appearance  on  board  a  slaver. 

41  Did  the  woman  notice  that  you  had  the  boxes  in  the  boat?" 
asked  the  captain,  rather  hoarsely,  when  he  saw  the  amount  of 
gold  that  was  glittering  before  him. 

1  saw  that  the  "  old  man  "  had  one  of  his  avarice  fits  on,  by  the 
tones  of  his  voice. 

"  Of  course  she  did,"  I  replied. 

"  Can't  you  persuade  her  that  what  she  saw  was  nothing  but 
old  iron,  or  mayhap  a  lot  of  grub,  or  somethin'  of  that  sort?"  he 
whispered. 

44 1  think  that  she  feels  so  grateful  at  being  saved,  that  she 
will  say  nothing  about  the  gold,"  I  remarked. 

"  But  I  ain't  going  to  risk  any  such  thing.  I  mean  to  know 
whether  she'll  blab,  or  keep  her  mouth  shut,  or  say  that  she  saw 
nothing.  That's  what  I'm  going  to  do." 

"But  how?"  I  asked. 

"  Look  here,"  the  captain  said,  speaking  low  and  confidentially ; 
"  she's  an  heiress,  or  what  do  you  call  a  girl  what  has  got  money  ? 
Well,  never  mind  that.  Her  dad  has  got  the  rocks  —  four  or 
five  million,  I  s'pp se ;  and  she'll  get  it  all,  'cos  he's  old  and  his 
wife  is  dead.  Now,  what's  to  prevent  me  from  splicing  her,  and 
making  her  happy  through  life?" 

44  Suppose  the  lady  should  refuse  you?  "  I  suggested. 

44  She  can't,"  was  the  answer. 

*4  Why  not?" 


152 

u  Because,  in  the  first  place,  she  is  in  our  power,  and  we  can  do 
with  her  as  we  please.  In  the  next  place,  I  don't  see  why  she 
should  object  to  the  match,  for  I've  got  money  as  well  as  she. 
Shiver  my  timbers,  but  I  might  take  my  pick  from  girls  just  as 
pretty.  What  do  you  think  of  the  project  ?  " 

"  To  tell  you  the  truth,  I  think  that  we  shall  make  more  to  re- 
store her  to  her  father  uninjured,"  I  said.  '*  His  liberality  will 
be  more  likely  to  be  roused  if  the  girl  reports  that  she  was  treated 
well." 

"  I  shall  trust  only  to  certainties,"  was  the  answer.  "  Either 
she  shall  marry  you  or  me  before  she  leaves  the  vessel." 

"  But  I  have  some  one  now  to  look  after." 

"  Well,  you  wouldn't  object  to  a  change  —  would  you  ?  Couldn't 
we  contrive  to  leave  her  at  Gabun  ?  Accidentally,  of  course.  Old 
Cringy  would  give  a  hundred  niggers  for  the  girl,  and  jump  at 
the  bargain.  Couldn't  we  divide  them  between  us,  and  make 
something  pretty  Out  of  it?  " 

I  listened  in  silence  to  this  infamous  proposition.  I  knew  that 
I  should  only  make  an  enemy,  and  a  powerful  one,  if  I  rejected 
it  at  once,  and  thereby  make  Isadora's  situation  extremely  un- 
pleasant. 

"  You  will  think  of  the  matter,"  the  captain  said,  with  a  sharp 
look. 

"  Yes  ;  I  will  turn  it  over  in  my  mind,"  I  replied. 

"  We  can  make  ten  thousand  dollars  apiece  by  the  operation, 
and  that  will  give  us  «,  start  in  the  world.  The  woman  would 
be  treated  well,  I  suppose,  and  that  will  be  enough  for  you  to  know." 

I  could  hardly  control  my  indignation  when  I  heard  the  propo- 
sition ;  but  I  succeeded  in  disguising  my  real  sentiments,  and 
appeared  as  though  I  would  give  the  subject  some  attention.  We 
talked  no  more  that  night  on  the  project,  but  returned  to  the 
boxes  which  were  lying  on  deck,  and  wrenched  the  covers  from 
them,  and  our  greedy  eyes  were  rewarded  by  the  sight  of  more 
gold  in  the  shape  of  doubloons ;  and  as  we  found  in  each  box  a 
paper  containing  the  amount  of  money  and  the  names  of  the 
owners,  we  had  no  difficulty  in  arriving  at  a  definite  result.  We 
found  that  we  had  rescued  from  the  flames  some  three  hundred 
thousand  dollars,  which  purported  to  belong  to  the  senors  Mor- 
secio  &  Co.,  Cadiz,  Spain  ;  and  when  we  discovered  the  fact,  we 
wished  the  senors  might  get  it,  but  we  rather  thought  that  they 
would  not. 


A   VALUABLE    CASKET.  153 

As  the  boxes  were  stowed  below,  the  burning  vessel,  which  was 
about  half  a  mile  distant,  sent  up  a  dozen  streaks  of  bright  flame, 
and  then  an  explosion  followed,  and  for  a  few  seconds  we  could 
see  hundreds  of  fragments  in  the  air,  all  flaming  like  rockets, 
larting  in  every  direction ;  and  then  followed  the  sullen  plunges 
as  the  timbers  struck  the  water,  and  the  hissing  sounds  as  the  fire 
was  quenched  by  the  same.  A  few  cinders  struck  the  deck,  but 
they  were  harmless,  and  there  was  no  danger  that  our  sails 
would  take  fire  from  them.  As  soon  as  the  explosion  was  over, 
I  entered  the  cabin,  and  knocked  at  the  door  of  my  state-room. 
Isadora,  opened  it. 

44  Do  not  come  in,  sir,"  she  said,  softly.  "  The  lady  has  laid 
down,  and  is  asleep." 

44  O,  no,  I  am  not,"  Gracia  —  the  name  of  the  new  comer  — 
answered  ;  "  let  rny  preserver  enter,  by  all  means." 

I  saw  a  frown  —  a  slight  one  —  upon  Isadora's  brow,  and  I 
knew  that  the  first  pang  of  jealousy  had  been  sown.  I  heeded 
the  sign,  and  declined  entering. 

4*  Isadora,"  I  said,  kissing  away  the  frown  in  a  quiet  way, 
44  let  the  stranger  occupy  the  room  with  you  to-night,  and  to- 
morrow we  will  find  out  what  can  be  done  for  her  accommoda- 
tion." 

44  And  you  are  sure  that  you  still  love  but  me?"  Isadora  whis- 
pered, as  she  left  the  room,  and  put  her  arms  around  my  neck. 

44  But  you,  love,"  I  answered,  returning  the  kiss  ;  and  she  was 
satisfied. 

I  retired  to^one  of  the  vacant  state-rooms  for  the  purpose  of 
getting  a  few  hours'  sleep  during  my  watch  below.  I  kicked  off 
my  shoes,  and  was  about  to  "  turn  in,"  when  I  recollected  the  casket 
which  I  had  found  upon  the  Virgin,  the  name  of  the  ship  that 
was  burned.  I  removed  it  from  its  place  of  concealment,  and  ex- 
amined it  by  the  light.  The  box  was  of  gold,  beautifully  engraved 
and  chased,  and  contained  the  arms  of  some  Spanish  family,  whom 
I  cared  but  precious  little  about.  I  inserted  the  key  in  the  lock, 
opened  the  box,  and  my  eyes  were  gratified  with  the  sight  of 
sparkling  jewels  of  real  antique  pattern  and  setting.  Llooked 
at  them  for  a  moment  without  speaking,  I  was  so  astonished,  and 
then  I  arose  and  carefully  locked  the  door  of  my  state-room,  for 
fear  that  some  one  would  surprise  me. 

After  locking  the  door  I  seated  myself,  and  examined  the  jewels 


154  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

at  leisure.  I  found  that  there  was  a  necklace  terminating  with  a 
cross,  all  studded  with  diamonds  of  large  size,  the  smallest  weigh- 
ing, I  judged,  over  a  carat,  and  the  largest  one  about  six  carats. 
I  counted  the  stones,  and  found  that  there  were  forty  in  the  neck- 
lace, and  ten  in  the  cross.  I  laid  the  cross  and  necklace  aside, 
and  took  up  the  next  jewel.  It  was  a  breastpin,  of  large  size 
and  clumsy  setting,  but  was  rich  with  diamonds  of  great  size, 
and  contained  twenty,  with  one  in  the  centre,  an  immense  stone 
and  very  brilliant,  for  it  flashed  all  the  colors  of  the  rainbow, 
as  I  held  it  towards  the  light  for  inspection.  It  was  the  largest 
diamond  I  had  ever  seen,  and  probably  had  been  in  some  family 
for  centuries,  as  an  heirloom.  I  admired  the  beauty  of  the  pin 
for  some  time  before  I  passed  on  to  the  next  articles,  which  were 
a  pair  of  bracelets,  of  very  heavy  pattern,  and  studded  with  dia- 
monds of  great  price.  The  ends,  which  clasped  together,  were 
composed  of  emeralds,  of  extraordinary  brilliancy,  and  as  large 
as  a  man's  thumb.  There  were  fifty  diamonds  in  each  bracelet, 
and  each  diamond  weighed,  I  judged,  about  two  carats.  I  laid 
them  aside,  and  continued  my  investigation. 

The  next  articles  I  examined  were  a  pair  of  ear-rings,  of  an 
antique  pattern,  and  each  ear-ring  contained  one  large  diamond, 
brilliant  as  the  evening  star,  and  large  as  a  sinall  filbert.  From 
the  ear-rings  I  passed  on  to  the  rest  of  the  jewelry,  and  found  it 
consisted  of  finger-rings,  set  with  diamonds  of  various  kinds,  from 
a  cluster,  containing  a  dozen  small  diamonds,  not  weighing  more 
than  two  carats  each,  to  a  single-stone  ring,  which  weighed 
seven  or  eight  carats.  There  were  about  a  dozen  rings,  and 
some  of  them  were  evidently  intended  for  masculine  hands,  for  I 
slipped  several  upon  my  fingers  without  much  trouble.  There 
was  but  one  other  article  that  remained  to  be  examined,  and  I 
found  that  it  was  a  cross,  emblematical  of  some  title  of  nobility. 
It  was  three  inches  long  and  three  inches  broad,  and  was  covered 
with  diamonds  and  rubies  of  large  size  and  wonderful  brilliancy. 

Had  Murphy  not  made  his  infamous  proposition,  I  thiak  I 
should  have  let  him  share  my  good  fortune  ;  but  I  was  suspicious 
of  hinr,  and  determined  to  keep  the  matter  a  secret,  even  from 
Isadora,  fearful  that  something  might  happen,  and  that  she  would 
Detray  me.  While  I  was  thus  meditatiug,  I  heard  some  one  try 
my  door.  Hastily  replacing  the  articles  in  the  casket,  I  threw  it 
into  a  berth,  and  covered  it  with  a  blanket,  and  then  unlocked 
<he  door,  and  saw  Murphy. 


HOW  THE    MONET    IS   TO   BE   DIVIDED.  155 

"  I  saw  that  you  had  not  turned  in,"  the  captain  said,  "  and  I 
didn't  know  but  you  was  sick.  You  are  all  right,  I  hope." 

"  Never  felt  better  in  iny  life,"  I  answered.  "  I  was  thinking 
of  the  doings  of  the  day,  and  was  too  nervous  to  sleep ;  so  I  sat 
here  and  smoked.  Won't  you  join  me  ?  " 

"  No,  no ;  turn  in  and  get  some  rest.  We  have  got  a  stiff 
breeze,  and  a  fair  one." 

"  How  do  you  intend  to  divide  the  money  that  we  found  to- 
day? "I  asked. 

"  According  to  rank,"  be  answered.  "  The  largest  portion  will 
remain  aft.' 

%<  And  suppose  the  boys  grumble,"  I  remarked. 

"  Let  'em  grumble  until  they  are  hoarse.  Their  grumbling 
can't  move  me.  We  ain't  going  to  navigate  and  run  risk  for  the 
sake  of  making  the  fortens  of  every  Jack  tar  that  thinks  he  is 
smart.  By  no  means  ;  "  and  with  this  advice,  the  captain  wad- 
dled out  of  the  state-room,  and  turned  in. 

I  determined  to  hold  on  to  the  diamonds  at  all  hazards,  and  fop 
that  reason  locked  them  up  in  one  of  my  chests,  which  was  in 
the  state-room.  I  took  good  care  that  the  casket  was  put  into  a 
secret  drawer,  the  existence  of  which  no  one  knew  but  myself. 
By  this  time  it  was  eight  bells,  or  four  o'clock  in  the  morning, 
and  my  watch  on  deck.  1  found  the  second  mate  in  a  sociable 
mood,  for  the  wind  was  fair,  and  we  were  making  eight  knots  pep 
hour. 

"  You  haven't  had  much  of  a  nap,"  the  second  mate  said. 
"  I've  seen  a  light  in  your  state-room  ever  since  you've  been 
below.  I  don't  feel  much  like  sleep  myself,  'cos  I've  been  think- 
ing what  a  haul  we  made  to-day,  and  how  I  should  spend  my 
money.  I'll  give  up  eating  old  boss  and  ministers'  faces,  and 
have  a  farm  and  lots  of  pigs,  and  not  turn  out  every  time  the  wind 
blows  fresh  to  help  reef  fore  and  aft  sails." 

"  And  before  you  have  been  on  shore  six  months,  you  will  for- 
get your  resolutions,  and  ship  once  more.  I've  seen  such  things 
before,"  I  replied. 

u  Not  a  bit  of  it,"  was  the  answer  ;  and  then  the  officer  sunk 
his  voice  to  a  whisper,  as  he  said,  "  That's  a  fine-looking  craft 
you  brought  alongside  to-day." 

I  knew  that  he  alluded  to  Gracia ;  so  I  said  that  she  looked 
very  well. 


156 

"  Now,  what's  to  become  of  her?  that's  the  question.  We  are 
going  to  Africa,  and  she  wants  to  go  to  Cuba.  It's  a  long  time 
afore  she'll  see  her  friends,  and  she'll  need  some  one  to  look  arter 
her  —  won't  she? " 

I  remarked  that  probably  she  would. 

"  Now  s'pose  I  should  offer  to  marry  her,  and  make  her  an 
honest  woman.  What  should  you  say  to  that?" 

"But  the  lady  has  had  but  a  slight  acquaintance  with  you," 
said  I. 

"  What  does  it  matter?" 

"  Not  much,  sometimes,  but  ladies  of  a  high  grade  of  society 
require  fortune  and  many  accomplishments,  before  they  consent 
to  give  their  hands." 

"  Blast  it,  Mr.  Robert,  ain't  I  accomplished  ?  "  cried  the  officer, 
indignantly.  "  Can't  I  knot  a  rope,  steer  a  ship,  splice,  or  reef  a 
sail  with  any  man  on  board  ?  " 

"  That  is  true,"  I  replied,  with  a  smile  ;  "  but  you  know  that 
she  is  not  aware  of  all  those  good  qualities." 

"But  I  can  tell  her  —  can't  I?"  the  man  asked,  quite  indig- 
nantly. 

"  Yes,  after  you  have  learned  the  Spanish  language.  Think 
how  inconvenient  it  would  be  to  have  a  wife  that  you  couldn't  talk 
with." 

"  O,  I  could  learn  her  the  English  lingo  in  no  time,  ft  I  only 
had  time,  and  a  chance.  No  fear  of  that." 

"  Well,  I  advise  you  to  make  application  without  delay,  for  the 
captain  also  has  thoughts  in  that  direction  ; "  and  while  I  spoke, 
I  looked  the  man  full  in  the  face  to  see  what  effect  my  announce- 
ment would  make. 

His  countenance  changed  immediately,  and  I  saw  that  he  was 
disappointed,  and  somewhat  revengefnlly  inclined. 

"  O,  if  the  captain  intends  to  enter  the  ring,  I  s'pose  I  must 
step  out,"  he  said. 

The  second  mate,  after  asking  me  to  say  nothing  about  the  con- 
versation that  had  occurred,  retired  below,  and  left  me  in  posses- 
sion of  the  quarter-deck,  and  I  fell  to  ruminating.  My  first 
object  was  to  save  the  lady,  and  that  I  resolved  to  do  at  all  haz- 
ards, even  if  I  had  to  venture  my  life  in  her  defence  ;  yet  I  felt 
that  it  would  not  do  to  have  arrayed  against  me  both  captain 
and  second  mate,  for  they  could  make  my  position  a  little  un- 


A  SPECK   OF  TROUBLE.  157 

comfortable,  and  perhaps  give  me  a  knock  on. the  head  that  would 
not  be  agreeable.  I  knew  Murphy  would  stand  my  friend  just 
as  long  as  it  was  for  his  interest  to  do  so,  and  no  longer.  At 
least  I  suspected  him  of  just  so  much  attachment  and  no  more, 
and  I  thought  that  I  would  govern  my  love  by  his.  The  lady 
should  be  saved,  but  how  to  do  it  and  save  myself  was  a  question . 
which  I  determined  to  let'time  alone  solve.  I  thought  that  with 
two  things  to  breed  disaffection  on  board,  unmarried  women  and 
boxes  of  gold,  a  row  could  not  be  staved  off  a  great  while ;  and 
even  while  I  was  thus  meditating,  one  of  the  men  approached  me 
as  though  about  to  ask  something  regarding  ship's  duty. 

"  Well,  Sam,  what  is  it?  v  I  inquired. 

"  Will  you  please  to  step  for'ard,  sir,  a  little  ways?  Just  by  the 
waist,  for  instance." 

I  complied  with  the  request,  and  looked  to  see  what  was  com- 
ing next. 

"What  I  am  goin'  to  say,  sir,  I  don't  want  repeated,  'cos  I'm 
a  friend  to  you.  Will  you  promise  not  to  say  a  word  to  any 
one,  sir?" 

"  I  can't  do  that,  Sam,  for  your  communication  may  be  so  im- 
portant that  I  shall  have  to  report  it  to  the  captain." 

"  Then  I  shan't  trust  you,  sir,"  the  man  said. 

"  Very  well,"  I  replied,  carelessly.  "  If  you  want  to  tell  me 
that  you  don't  get  grub  enough,  or  that  you  want  plum  duff  three 
times  a  week,  or  that  the  junk  is  not  fat,  I'll  listen  and  say  noth- 
ing. So  square  your  yards  and  fire  away." 

u  'Taiti't  that,  sir,"  he  replied,  sinking  his  voice  to  a  whisper, 
after  looking  carefully  around.  "  We  feel  a  little  grieved  for'ard, 
that  the  skipper  should  use  us  as  he  did  to-night,  and  not  give  us 
a  sfght  at  the  gold.  Some  of  the  boys  say  that  the  skipper  is 
going  to  claim  the  whole  of  it,  but  I  don't  think  that  he  will  serve 
us  in  that  way.  Now  I  want  to  ax  you,  Mr.  Robert,  what  you 
think  of  it.  Will  he  do  the  right  thing?  " 

"  I  don't  know  what  you  call  the  right  thing,"  I  said,  evasively. 

The  man  thought  for  a  moment  to  see  how  he  could  express 
himself  more  plainly. 

"  What  I  mean,  sir,  will  he  count  the  money  out  and  say  here's 
one  for  Dick,  one  for  Sam,  one  for  Bill,  four  for  me,  and  so  on. 
That's  what  we  expect,  and  that  is  right ;  but  we  can't  stand  his 
taking  all,  'cos  'tain't  right." 


158 

"  The  captain  will  settle  the  matter  to  suit  himself,  and  per- 
haps all  hands,"  I  replied,  and  was  about  to  turn  aft,  when  Sam 
touched  me  with  his  hand. 

"  You  won't  say  nothing  'bout  this  nor  nothing,  will  you,  Mr. 
Robert?  We  all  believes  you  an  honest  man,  and  willing  to 
do  the  fair  thing,  and  I  shouldn't  like  to  have  a  row  just  now 
with  the  captain.  You  won't  say  anything  —  will  you,  Mr. 
Robert?" 

"  I  have  nothing  to  tell,"  I  replied,  as  I  walked  aft ;  but  I  knew 
that  I  was  not  speaking  the  truth,  for  I  had  but  to  hint  at  the 
conversation  which  had  been  uttered,  and  the  man's  life  would  not 
have  been  worth  a  sixpence.in  the  estimation  of  the  captain. 

Just  as  I  reached  "the  quarter-deck,  after  conversing  with  Sam, 
I  saw  Isadora  issue  from  the  cabin. 

"  Good  morning,  my  dear,"  I  said.  "  Your  eyes  look  as  bright 
as  the  Coquette's  copper,  and  your  cheeks  are  as  flushed  as  the 
first  streak  of  the  rising  sun.  You  have  slept  well." 

"  No,  I  have  slept  badly  .  But  I  have  come  on  deck  for  in- 
structions. The  lady  has  awakened,  and  is  dressed  in  some  of 
my  clothing,  and  I  have  bound  up  her  hair,  and  answered  a  few 
of  her  questions." 

"  Please  to  tell  me  what  questions  the  lady  has  put,"  I  said. 

"  The  senorita  Gracia  asked  me  what  kind  of  a  vessel  she  was 
on  board  of,  and  where  she  was  bound." 

"  And  your  answer?" 

"  I  told  her  that  the  Coquette  was  a  trader,  and  went  I  didn't 
know  where,  because  this  was  my  first  voyage  with  my  husband. 
She  don't  suspect  but  that  we  are  married,  and  I'm  sure  I  am 
glad  that  she  don't." 

"  And  this  is  all  of  the  conversation  —  is  it?"  I  asked. 

"Yes,  all;  for  I  came  on  deck,  leaving  the  senorita  very 
thoughtful,  as  though  she  was  homesick.  Besides,  I  feared  that 
she  would  ask  me  more  questions,  and  I  did  not  know  if  you 
wanted  them  answered." 

"  You  are  an  angel,"  I  said,  and  repaid  her  with  an  embrace 
that  nearly  took  away  her  breath.  "  Now  go  down  and  send  the 
lady  up  to  take  the  fresh  air,  and  I  will  explain  all  that  is  neces- 
sary for  her  to  know." 

"  And  do  you  want  my  company,  also?"  Isadora  asked,  with 
an  arch  smile. 


A   MORNING  SALUTATION.       *  159 

I  thought  that  I  could  dispense  with  it  for  a  few  moments,  but 
took  good  care  not  to  say  so. 

"  Certainly.  You  know  that  I  like  to  have  you  near  me  at  all 
times." 

"  Then  I'll  punish  you  by  staying  below  until  you  have  ex- 
plained the  nature  of  the  schooner's  business,  for  I  fear  that 
Gracia  will  feel  shocked  when  she  knows  it." 

The  bright  eyes  disappeared,  and  I  had  hardly  time  to  take  a 
dozen  paces  on  the  deck,  when  the  senorita  Gracia  appeared,  look- 
ing so  beautiful  in  one  of  Isadora's  morning  dresses,  that  I  took 
off  my  hat  and  bowed  to  her  as  though  she  had  been  a  goddess, 
and  I  her  slave. 

"  You  are  welcome  upon  deck  so  early,  lady,"  I  said,  speak- 
ing so  low  and  respectfully,  that  I  saw  her  black  eyes  raised  to 
my  face,  and  rest  there  for  a  moment,  as  though  flattered  by  her 
reception. 

"  You  are  sure  that  I  don't  interrupt  your  duties?"  she  asked, 
with  a  smile  so  sweet,  yet  melancholy,  that  I  could  have  fallen 
down  and  worshipped  her,  if  it  would  have  done  any  good  ;  but  as 
it  wouldn't,  I  stood  on  my  legs,  although  they  trembled.  I  as- 
sured her  that  she  did  not  interrupt  me. 

"  I  have  passed  a  pleasant  night,"  she  said.  "  For  it  I  must 
thank  your  wife." 

She  raised  her  dark  eyes  as  she  spoke,  and  I  felt  the  blood  rush 
to  my  face  under  the  scrutiny.  I  hardly  knew  what  to  say,  and 
while  I  was  trying  to  frame  a  reply,  Murphy  waddled  on  deck. 

"  You  turn  out  early,  young  lady,"  Murphy  said,  sourly.  "  I 
suppose  that  you  have  come  up  to  thank  the  mate  for  saving  your 
life.  Well,  I've  done  as  much  as  he,  even  if  he  did  bring  some 
boxes  on  board  filled  with  old  iron,  thinking  they  contained  gold." 

He  spoke  in  English,  which  she  understood  remarkably  well. 

"  I  am  very  sorry  you  did  not  find  something  more  worth j 
of  your  trouble.  If  I  could  have  had  my  wish,  the  boxes  should 
have  been  filled  with  gold,"  Gracia  said,  most  sincerely. 

"  Well,  we  can't  all  have  our  wishes ;  if  we  could,  you'd  be 
wishing  that  yon  was  on  your  father's  plantation,  and  Mr.  Robert 
that  he  was  alongside  of  his  affinity." 

I  saw  the  lady  look  up  with  an  expression  of  surprise  upon  her 
fine  face,  at  hearing  his  rude  words. 

"  I  should  certainly  wish  I  was  at  home,"  was  Gracia's  answer, 


160  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

"  and  I  hope  to  prevail  upon  you  to  take  me  there.  You  will  be 
well  paid,  I  assure  you." 

"  We  should  lose  the  profits  of  our  voyage,  if  we  did,"  Mur- 
phy said,  calculating  upon  his  fingers  what  they  would  amount  to. 
"  No,  we  can't  run  back  just  now,  'cos  'twould  interfere  with  our 
plans  ;  but  we  will  take  care  of  you,  and  eee  that  you  are  returned 
to  your  father  in  good  time." 

The  lady  shaded  her  eyes  with  her  hands,  as  though  she  wanted 
to  conceal  the  tears  which  flowed  from  them.  She  did  not  speak, 
and  Murphy,  thinking  that  he  had  made  a  profound  impression, 
winked  to  me  to  notice  his  success,  and  then  waddled  below  again. 

"  Tell  me,"  she  said,  speaking  low  and  distinct,  "  the  char- 
acter of  this  vessel,  for  I  begin  to  have  my  suspicions  that  it  is 
not  an  honest  trader." 

"  Do  not  be  alarmed,"  I  replied.  u  I  will  defend  you  if  there 
is  occasion  for  defence.  Trust  to  my  direction,  and  you  will  fare 
well  enough." 

44  But  the  character  of  the  vessel  ?"  she  asked,  impatiently. 

"  Is  a  slaver/'  I  replied. 

She  drew  a  long  sighj  and  remained  in  deep  thought  for  a  few 
minutes. 

*'  I  owe  my  life  to  you,"  she  said,  extending  her  hand,  "  and  I 
feel  deeply  grateful ;  but  I  almost  wish  that  you  had  left  me  on 
board  of  the  burning  ship.  O,  how  I  wish  I  was  with  my  father !  " 

*'  You  shall  yet  be  with  him  ;  but  a  few  weeks  must  pass  be- 
fore that  happy  result  will  take  place.  We  are  not  so  bad  as  we 
seem." 

Just  then  Isadora  returned  to  the  deck,  and  both  ladies  preferred 
to  remain  with  me  instead  of  keeping  below.  I  left  them  to  talk  as 
they  pleased,  and  attended  to  my  duty,  for  the  purpose  of  keeping 
the  men  at  work,  and  out  of  idleness.  I  swayed  up  the  sails,  had  the 
deck.scrubbed  clean,  and  tautened  all  the  sheets,  so  that  the  canvas 
set  like  a  ball-room  belle's  dress.  By  the  time  I  had  finished,  eight 
bells  struck,  and  breakfast  was  prepared  for  the  cabin,  and  also 
ready  for  the  morning  watch.  Gracia  merely  tasted  of  the  food 
that  was  set  before  her,  but  Isadora  had  no  idea  of  starving,  and 
ate  as  heartily  as  a  lover  could  desire.  The  conversation  was 
not  particularly  enlivening,  and  I  was  glad  when  the  meal  was 
finished  and  Gracia  was  enabled  to  retire  to  her  state-room,  and 
mourn  for  her  home  in  secret. 


MURPHY'S  PLAN.  161 

"  You  know  what  I  spoke  to  you  about  last  night,"  Murphy 
said,  as  soon  as  the  ladies  had  retired. 

I  pretended  to  think. 

"  I  mean  about  the  marrying  of  that  gal.  The  more  I  see  of 
her,  the  more  I  am  convinced  that  now  is  the  time  to  cut  my  cloth 
for  my  jib.  If  I  can  find  a  missionary  at-  Gabun,  she  shall  take 
me  for  better  or  worse,  or  I'll  make  her  life  rather  uncomfort- 
able." 

I  made  no  reply,  but  wished  that  he  might  strangle  before  he 
rose  from  the  table. 

"  I  shall  do  the  right  thing  in  case  I  succeed,  and  I  want  you 
to  help  me  steer  correct,  and  board  the  craft  without  any  fuss. 
If  you  do,  the  money  which  we  saved  from  the  Spaniard  needn't 
be  circulated  out  of  the  cabin." 

"  I  don't  like  the  plan,"  I  said.  "  I  had  rather  the  men  should 
share  dollar  for  dollar,  than  take  a  cent  from  them  which  I  was 
not  entitled  to." 

The  captain  turned  very  red  in  the  face,  and  wanted  to  make 
an  angry  reply ;  but  thought  better  of  it,  and  got  up  from  the 
table  and  went  on  deck.  As  he  did  so,  I  saw  the  steward's  face 
in  the  pantry,  and  it  did  not  look  very  amiable,  for  I  was  con- 
fident that  he  had  heard  every  word,  and  would  report  the  con- 
versation to  the  crew ;  and  I  did  not  care  much  if  he  did,  as  long 
as  I  stood  well  on  the  subject  which  we  had  talked  about. 

Time  passed  heavily  with  me  until  we  made  the  land,  because 
I  was  in  a  continual  fever  for  fear  the  captain  would  say  some- 
thing to  Gracia  that  would  wound  her  feelings  or  insult  her 
modesty.  In  the  mean  time,  it  did  not  escape  me  that  there 
was  some  deep  current  in  the  affairs  of  the  crew,  for  I  saw  them 
frequently  consulting  together,  and  whispering  as  though  they 
were  debating  upon  matters  of  great  importance. 

At  length,  one  pleasant  afternoon,  the  cry  of  "  Land,  ho,"  started 
every  one  on  deck,  and  in  an  hour's  time,  we  could  make  out  the 
high  bluff  just  beyond  Gabun,  and  in  two  hours'  time  we  could 
see  the  flag-staff  on  the  bluff,  upon  which  Cringy's  house  was 
situated. 

In  a  few  minutes,  or  as  soon  as  those  on  shore  could  make  out 
that  we  were  bound  for  Gabun,  a  canoe  was  launched  and  pad- 
dled by  half  a  dozen  strong  arms  towards  us,  and  in  the  stern* 
sheets  we  could  discover  the  deformed  carcass  of  Cringy  dressed 
11 


162  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

• 

in  his  regimentals,  and  destitute  of  trousers,  as  when  he  came  into 
the  world.  We  hove  to  for  him  to  scramhle  on  board,  and  as 
soon  as  he  landed  on  deck,  his  delight  knew  no  bounds,  as  far  as 
outward  appearances  went. 

"  Bress  de  Lord  for  dis,"  he  cried.  "  Dis  does  look  as  dough 
dare  was  sum  luck  in  de  world,  arter  all.  Ah,  I  prayed  for  dis,  but 
feared  dat  my  prayers  no  come  when  I  ax  'em.  Well,  you  is  all 
well,  I  hope,  and  de  Lord  be  praised,  you  all  looks  well." 

Some  rum  was  brought  on  deck,  and  when  the  steward  placed 
it  in  the  old  darky's  hand,  the  eyes  of  the  latter  sparkled  with  joy, 
and  he  rolled  up  his  optics  until  only  the  whites  were  to  be  seen. 

"  The  ladies  want  to  know  if  they  can  come  on  deck,  sir  ?  "  the 
steward  asked. 

"  Not  at  present,"  I  replied,  as  I  looked  at  old  Cringy's  nak«d 
limbs,  which  were  not  remarkable  for  symmetry  and  plumpness. 
"  Tell  them  I  will  call  them  when  wanted." 

The  steward  left  to  do  his  errand,  and  with  a  sigh  of  satisfac- 
tion, old  Cringy  threw  the  rum  down  his  throat  and  smacked  his 
lips. 

"  Look  ahere,  old  man,"  Murphy  said.  "  You  must  cover  up 
those  crooked  legs  of  yours,  for  we  have  ladies  on  board,  and 
they  don't  care  about  seeing  so  much  ugliness.  Whar's  your 
trousers  ?  " 

"  In  de  canoe,  bress  de  Lord,"  replied  Cringy.  "  De  water 
in  de  canoe  spile  de  cloth,  and  I  roll  'em  up  and  give  my  man 
set  on." 

"  Well,  on  with  them,  for  the  ladies  want  to  come  on  deck  and 
see  you,"  I  said. 

"  O,  go  way,  and  don't  tell  me  dat  you  got  ladies  on  board.  I 
s'pose  dat  you  got  nigger  wench,  and  dat  she  feel  proud  now.  Go 
'long  wid  you,  and  let  me  see  how  much  she  sell  for." 

"  She  won't  come  until  the  trousers  are  on,"  I  said,  gravely ; 
and  Cringy  saw  that  I  was  not  joking ;  so  going  to  the  gangway, 
he  shouted  to  his  henchman,  and  the  pants  were  thrown  at  him 
and  slipped  on,  the  fellow  talking  all  the  time. 

Then  the  ladies  came  on  deck,  and  their  appearance  excited 
the  deepest  feeling  of  admiration  in  the  heart  of  the  old  negro. 

"  Ah,  dat's  what  I  call  de  real  lubliness,"  cried  Cringy.  u  Dose 
wumen  worth  two  dozen  black  wenches.  Ah,  s'pose  I  own  one, 
I  be  great  man,  and  all  de  nigger  chiefs  be  mad." 


CRINGY'S  LIBERAL  OFFER.     Page  163. 


A   LIBERAL    OFFER.  163 

"  What  docs  the  monster  say  ?  "  demanded  Isadora. 

"  He  says  that  you  are  beautiful,"  I  replied. 

"  He  has  got  some  taste,  at  any  rate,  even  if  he  is  hideous," 
replied  the  amiable  young  lady,  who  felt  somewhat  consoled  by 
the  compliment. 

"  Flow  many  slaves  would  you  give  for  one  of  them,  Cringy?  " 
asked  Murphy,  in  a  joking  tone,  apparently,  although  I  knew 
better. 

"Let  me  see.  Dey  am  all  white  —  ain't  dey?  No  nigger 
blood,  hey  ?  Got  plenty  of  dat  ashore." 

u  O,  I  will  warrant  that  they  are  pure  blooded.  Come,  make 
an  offer,  and  we'll  see  how  high  you  estimate  them." 

"  No  sell  'em  both  ?  "  asked  Cringy 

w  No,  only  one.     How  many  niggers?  " 

"  S'pose  I  give  dirty  for  dis  one,"  said  Cringy,  in  a  hesitating 
manner,  pointing  to  Isadora. 

"  Thirty  niggers,  you  old  rascal !  "  roared  Murphy.  "  Do  you 
dare  to  make  such  an  offer  to  me  ?  She's  worth  more." 

"  S'pose  I  say  fifty,  and  call  'em  mine,"  said  Cringy,  with  an 
eager  look. 

"  Fifty,  you  black  wretch !  Look  at  the  woman,  and  see  if 
she  is  not  worth  more." 

Cringy  looked,  and  the  large  black  eyes  of  Isadora  did  the 
work. 

"  I  gib  one  hundred  nigger,  and  I  no  gib  anudder  cussed  one," 
the  old  fellow  muttered ;  and  I  have  no  doubt  that  he  was  in 
earnest. 

"  There,  ladies,  you  can  see  how  high  you  are  valued,"  I  -said. 
"  He  offers  one  hundred  negroes  for  either  of  you,  and  is  not  par- 
ticular which." 

"  The  old  wretch,  —  don't  he  wish  that  he  may  get  one  of  us?  " 
Isadora  said,  with  a  disdainful  toss  of  her  head  ;-but  Gracia  looked 
sober,  and  clung  to  her  companion  as  though  she  feared  that  there 
was  more  in  the  talk  than  met  the  eye. 

"  What  you  say,  cap'n  ?  You  trade  with  me  ?  S'pose  you  do, 
I  want  de  wifey  to-night,  and  gib  you  niggers  when  you  want 
'em,"  Cringy  said. 

"  O,  you  must  talk  to  the  mate  about  that,  for  he  has  charge 
of  the  women,"  Murphy  said  ;  and  then  the  old  wretch  turned  his 
whole  battery  of  entreaties  upon  ine,  and  begged  me  to  take  his 


164  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

hundred  niggers  and  give  him  a  white  wifey.  I  put  him  off, 
and  then,  as  we  neared  the  bar,  Cringy  had  to  take  us  over,  and 
until  we  dropped  anchor  I  talked  no  more  with  him  on  the  sub- 
ject of  his  offers. 

But  the  instant  the  anchor  was  down,  the  old  wretch  got  into 
his  boat  and  hurried  on  shore.  I  could  hardly  understand 
what  he  meant  by  leaving  us  so  abruptly  ;  but  after  a  while  his 
canoe  came  alongside  loaded  down  with  fruits,  vegetables,  chick- 
ens, eggs,  and  other  articles  which  he  thought  would  be  accept- 
able to  the  palates  of  man  and  woman,  after  a  sea  voyage.  The 
heart  of  the  old  monkey  was  touched,  it  was  evident ;  for  he  sent 
word  by  his  boatman  that  the  articles  were  presents  to  the  ladies, 
and  we  were  to  understand  that  no  charge  was  to  be  made  for 
them. 

That  night  Murphy  and  I  walked  the  deck,  and  held  a  long 
conversation.  He  renewed  the  subject  of  selling  Isadora,  and 
even  hinted  that,  if  she  was  set  on  shore,  he  could  easily  per- 
suade Gracia  to  submit  to  his  wishes,  and  pledge  her  hand  to  him 
as  soon  as  a  missionary  was  found  ;  but  I  opposed  the  scheme,  and 
tried  to  point  out  some  of  its  most  hateful  features,  but  the  cap- 
tain was  not  reared  in  a  school  where  sentiment  was  regarded, 
and  he  seemed  to  estimate  women  as  things  to  speculate  in  and 
improve  one's  fortune,  if  possible,  while  I  regarded  them  as  some- 
ing  to  love  and  protect,  and  even  die  for,  if  necessity  required. 

"  It  is  useless  to  argue  the  point  further,"  I  said,  at  length. 
"  I  regard  Isadora  as  my  property,  and  I  shall  never  give  my 
consent  that  she  be  separated  from  me,  and  least  of  all,  that 
she  pass  into  the  hands  of  that  hideous  scoundrel.  Why,  she 
would  strangle  herself  with  her  garter,  if  such  a  thing  was  sug- 
gested. As  long  as  I  live  I  shall  protect  her ;  and  if  all  the 
negroes  in  Africa  were  offered  to  me,  I  would  not  consent  to  such 
an  act  of  meanness." 

The  captain  listened  to  me  in  silence. 

"  Well,  what  do  you  think  of  the  other  one?  "he  asked,  at 
length.  "  We  can  get  rid  of  her  at  a  fair  price,  and  no  one  the 
wiser.  You  can't  claim  the  whole  of  her,  certainly." 

u  I  would  rather  put  my  revolver  to  her  head  and  blow  her 
brains  out,  than  see  her  pass  into  Cringy's  hands ;  and  I  think 
that  she  would  thank  me  for  the  act.  She  must  be  reserved  for 
a  better  fate  than  that." 


A   SERENADE.  165 

Murphy  was  about  to  make  an  angry  reply,  when  we  heard  the 
splash  of  oars,  and  saw  two  or  three  canoes  coming  towards  us 
from  the  shore. 

"  What  in  the  devil's  name  are  you  doing  there?"  hailed  Mur- 
phy. 

There  was  no  answer. 

"  If  you  don't  answer  me,  you  black  rascals,  I'll  throw  hot 
shot  at  you,"  the  captain  said,  angrily. 

In  reply  we  heard  the  most  unearthly  sounds,  as  though  all 
the  groans  of  departed  negroes  were  lumped  together,  and 
thrown  at  our  heads.  Shriller  and  shriller  rose  the  noise, 
until  we  were  at  length  compelled  to  acknowledge  that  what 
we  heard  was  intended  for  music.  For  five  minutes  the  tumult 
continued  without  intermission,  and  then  it  stopped,  because 
lungs  and  muscle  needed  some  rest. 

"  Dat  leedle  music  for  de  leedies,  cap'n,"  cried  Cringy,  with  a 
chuckle  of  delight.  "  I  hope  dat  dey  hear  'em  and  love  'em." 

u  The  old  rascal  is  serenading  them,  and  they  are  not  awake  to 
hear  his  sweet  strains  and  do  honor  to  his  melody.  I  will  call 
them,  and  let  them  enjoy  the  treat  as  well  as  ourselves." 

I  went  below  for  that  purpose,  and  had  no  trouble  in  turning 
out  Isadora ;  but  Gracia  declared  that  she  would  not  move,  as 
she  did  not  feel  in  a  laughing  humor.  So  I  was  forced  to  return 
to  the  deck  with  only  Isadora,  wearing  but  a  thin  mantle  thrown 
over  her  head  to  shield  her  from  the  night  dew,  which  was  fall- 
ing heavily,  and  is  not  regarded  in  a  favorable  light  by  the  unac- 
climated. 

We  suffered  the  old  man  to  continue  his  serenade,  arid  when 
his  men  had  blown  themselves  hoarse,  and  the  drummers  were 
tired  out,  they  returned  to  the  shore,  Cringy  first  promising  to 
call  in  the  morning,  and  receive  the  thanks  of  the  ladies  for  his 
music. 

"  Here  is  an  admirer  for  you,"  I  said  to  Isadora.  "  He  not 
only  supplies  you  with  what  is  needful  to  eat,  but  charms  your 
ear  with  music  during  the  night." 

"  Yes  ;  but  I  wish  he  would  choose  daylight  the  next  time ; 
for  see,  my  head  is  quite  damp  with  the  falling  dew." 

The  dear  girl  shuddered  as  she  spoke,  as  though  suffering 
from  a  chill.  I  pressed  her  in  my  arms  and  kissed  her,  and  for  a 
few  minutes  her  head  rested  upon  my  shoulder,  and  her  arms  were 


166  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

thrown  around  my  neck.  She  did  not  speak,  and  I  supposed 
was  busy  with  thoughts  of  the  past. 

"  O,  my  head  !  "  she  said,  at  length,  pressing  her  hand  upon  her 
forehead,  which  I  found  was  very  hot. 

"  What  is  the  matter,  my  dear?  "  I  asked,  tenderly. 

"  My  head  aches  as  though  it  would  burst,"  she  murmured ; 
"  yet  a  few  minutes  since  I  was  well.  My  flesh  feels  as  though 
it  was  on  fire.  What  can  be  the  matter  with  me?  " 

I  feared  that  she  had  caught  the  coast  fever,  but  I  did  not 
tell  her  so.  The  night  air  had  poisoned  her  system  as  completely 
as  though  she  had  taken  a  dose  of  arsenic.  I  soothed  her  as  well 
as  I  was  able,  and  almost  carried  her  into  the  cabin  and  state- 
room occupied  by  herself  and  Gracia. 

A  light  was  burning  in  the  room,  and  by  it  I  saw  that  Gracia 
was  lying  upon  her  bed  sleeping  soundly.  I  awoke  her,  and 
informed  her  that  Isadora  was  ill,  and  needed  some  attention, 
which,  perhaps,  she  would  know  how  to  administer  better  than 
myself. 

*4  My  friend  ill,"  she  said,  astonished  at  the  information.  "Why 
it  seems  but  a  few  minutes  since  she  went  on  deck." 

She  arose  hastily,  but  did  not  need  to  dress,  for  her  clothes 
were  already  on,  and  then  with  true  woman's  sympathy  assisted 
me  with  Isadora's  garments ;  and  at  length  we  had  the  poor  girl 
upon  her  bed,  and  were  endeavoring  in  some  manner  to  alleviate 
her  pains,  which  were  all  concentrated  in  her  head,  while  her 
temples  throbbed  like  a  human  heart  when  deeply  agitated. 

"  What  can  I  do  for  you,  Isadora  ? "  I  asked,  overwhelmed 
with  grief  at  her  suffering. 

"  I  do  not  know,"  she  moaned.  "  My  head  feels  as  though  it 
would  burst,  and  my  mouth  is  parched  with  heat.  Let  me  drink 
some  cool  water,  and  perhaps  it  will  do  me  good." 

I  gave  her  a  glassful,  and  she  drank  it,  but  still  asked  for  more  ; 
and,  by  Gracia's  advice,  I  let  her  drink  as  much  as  she  wanted. 
She  then  began  to  doze,  and  leaving  Gracia  to  watch  by  her  side, 
I  went  on  deck,  where  I  found  Murphy. 

"  Well,  how  is  she?  "  he  asked. 

"  Very  sick,"  I  replied. 

"  And  what  have  you  done  for  her  ?  "  the  captain  continued. 

"  Nothing  but  let  her  drink  as  much  water  as  she  pleases,"  1 
replied. 


THE   COAST   FEVER.  167 

The  captain  gave  a  prolonged  whistle. 

u  What  do  you  mean  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  You  have  done  it  with  a  vengeance,"  he  said. 

"Done  what?  "I  asked. 

"Why,  given  her  just  the  same  as  rank  pizen.  She'll  be  a 
goner  in  less  than  twenty-four  hours.  You  see  if  she  don't.  Med- 
icine can't  save  her. 

He  finished  his  cigar  and  walked  below,  leaving  me  to  my  own 
reflections,  and  very  bitter  ones  they  were  ;  for  as  I  paced  the 
deck,  I  thought  of  my  past  life  and  the  little  good  there  was  in 
it,  and  I  made  a  vow  to  reform  as  soon  as  the  voyage  was  up, 
when, I  could  retire  from  the  business  in  which  I  was  engaged  ;  and 
while  I  was  thus  repenting,  Gracia  came  on  deck. 

"  For  Heaven's  sake  don't  expose  yourself  to  this  midnight  air," 
I  said,  as  soon  as  she  reached  the  deck.  "  The  sickness  of  Isa- 
dora is  as  much  as  I  can  endure." 

"  Do  not  fear  for  me,"  she  replied  ;  "  I  have  a  thick  shawl  on, 
and  I  shall  stop  but  a  moment.  I  came  to  call  you,  for  Isa- 
dora is  much  worse,  and  is  delirious." 

*  I  followed  the  lady  into  the  cabin,  and  then  entered  the  state- 
room, where  poor  Isadora  was  rolling  her  head  from  side  to  side, 
and  moaning  as  though  in  great  pain.  I  knew  not  what  to  give 
her  to  ease  the  pain  or  relieve  the  fever,  and  would  have  been 
glad  to  have  seen  an  English  man-of-war  enter  the  harbor,  even 
if  I  was  consigned  to  a  prison,  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  a 
physician. 

I  passed  an  arm  under  the  head  of  the  sick  girl,  and  pressed 
iny  lips  to  her  forehead.  The  act  seemed  to  restore  her  to  a  con- 
sciousness of  my  presence,  for  she  opened  her  eyes  and  smiled 
upon  me. 

"I  feared  that  you  had  deserted  me,"  she  whispered.  "I 
dreamed  so  just  now.  I  thought  you  no  longer  loved  me,  and 
that  another  claimed  your  vows." 

"  Do  not  let  such  thoughts  disturb  you,"  I  replied.  "  You 
know  that  I  love  you,  and  am  bound  to  you  until  —  " 

I  paused,  and  recollected  that  I  was  talking  with  one  who  might 
never  arise  alive  from  her  bed. 

"  Death,  you  mean,"  she  said,  her  eyes  growing  more  brilliant 
and  wild  as  she  spoke. 

I  made  no  reply. 


168  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

"  You  made  such  a  vow,"  she  continued,  "  but  I  expected  that 
your  heart  was  like  other  men's  ;  but  I  soon  saw  that  you  were 
sincere,  and  truly  loved  me,  and  then  I  gave  all  my  affections  in 
your  keeping,  and  did  hope  that  we  should  enjoy  years  of  hap- 
piness ;  but  we  never  shall." 

"  Do  not  be  too  sure  of  that,"  I  replied.  "  You  will  take  some 
medicine,  and  awake  in  the  morning  much  better ;  then  we  will 
lay  out  more  plans  for  the  future.  Now  sleep,  and  I  will  watch 
by  your  side." 

"  No,  no  ;  let  me  talk  with  you  now,  while  I  have  reason,  for 
there  is  a  weight  upon  my  brain  that  seems  as  though  it  would 
crush  it.  My  blood  is  on  fire,  and  if  I  but  close  my  eyes,  Ijorrid 
phantoms  appear  before  me,  and  utter  reproaches  for  my  past  life." 

"  Strive  to  think  of  other  things,"  I  said  ;  for  I  did  not  desire 
that  Gracia  should  know  the  history  of  her  past  life; 

"  No  ;  I  cannot  do  so.  The  events  of  that  dreadful  night, 
when  first  we  met,  are  now  before  me,  and  I  see  blood  upon  the 
floor.  Ah,  it  is  Antonio's  blood,  and  it  drips,  drips,  until  a  pool 
is  formed,  and  in  it  I  see  my  own  face." 

u  Do  not  be  alarmed,"  I  said,  in  a  whisper,  to  Gracia.  "  Heed 
nothing  that  she  says,  and  some  day  I  will  explain  all." 

The  lady  bowed,  and  although  she  looked  frightened,  did  not 
speak. 

"  We  could  pass  as  man  and  wife,  and  love  each  other  as  truly 
as  if  we  were  legally  married,"  Isadora  said,  after  a  long  pause. 
"  And  if  I  love  you  only,"  she  continued,  "  you  will  marry  me 
—  will  you  nbt?  " 

She  did  not  wait  for  an  answer,  but  commenced  laughing  in  an 
insane  manner. 

"  Perhaps,  senorita,  it  will  be  as  well  for  you  to  occupy  an- 
other state-room  for  the  night,"  I  said  to  Gracia.  "  You  are 
fatigued,  and  need  sleep.  I  can  take  care  of  Isadora,  and  will 
watch  by  her  during  her  ravings." 

"I  will  go  if  you  desire  my  absence,"  the  lady  said,  kindly. 
"  But  I  feel  no  need  of  sleep,  and  would  much  prefer  to  stay  with 
you,  and  assist  in  taking  care  of  my  friend." 

u  But  you  may  hear  things  which  I  should  rather  you  would 
not ;  at  least  until  an  explanation  is  made." 

"  I  shall  ask  no  questions,"  she  said,  "  but  if  you  are  disposed 
to  trust  me  with  your  confidence,  I  shall  not  abuse  it." 


MURPHY  CROAKS.  169 

I  could  only  thank  her  with  a  look,  and  then  turned  my  atten- 
tion to  the  invalid,  who  seemed  to  be  resting  a  little  easier.  I 
left  her  for  a  moment,  and  went  to  the  medicine  chest  for  the 
purpose  of  getting  something  of  a  soothing  nature,  that  would 
cause  her  to  sleep.  While  I  was  thus  occupied  Murphy  poked 
his  head  from  his  state-room. 

"  Well,  how  does  she  get  along?  "  he  asked. 

"  She  is  very  sick,"  I  said.  , 

<*But  that  is  not  the  worst  of  it,"  he  replied.  "  She  will 
never  get  well.  Mark  my  word  on  that  pint.  That  woman  has 
got  ttfc  worst  kind  of  coast  fever,  and  she  won't  get  over  it. 
I've  seen  too  much  of  it  not  to  know." 

"  Can  I  do  anything  to  relieve  her  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Not  a  thing,  unless  you  give  her  laudanum  ;  and  sometimes 
that  makes  'em  wild  and  fierce  like.  But  doctoring  ain't  of  any 
use  now." 

With  that  look  in  went  his  head,  and  his  door  closed.  I 
confess  that  it  was  with  dimmed  eyes  I  sought  for  the  lauda- 
num, and  emptied  a  dose  in  a  tumbler  with  some  water,  and 
then  returned  to  my  patient.  Gracia  saw  that  I  was  agitated, 
and  a  look  of  pity  showed  itself  upon  her  face.  She  assisted 
me  to  raise  Isadora,  and  poured  the  stuff  down  her  throat. 
The  patient  opened  her  eyes,  and  regarded  me  attentively  for  a 
moment. 

"  What  are  you  doing?"  she  asked. 

"  Giving  you  a  potion  that  will  make  you  sleep,"  I  replied. 

"You  are  not  poisoning  me?"  she  demanded. 

"  The  saints  forbid.     I  love  you  too  much  for  that." 

"  Do  you  love  me  as  well  as  if  I  was  your  wife?  "  she  asked, 
earnestly  and  distinctly. 

"  Hush,  dear,"  I  whispered  ;  "  we  will  talk  of  these  things  some 
other  time." 

"  No  ;  answer  me  now.  Do  you  love  me  as  well  as  if  I  was 
your  wife,  and  a  priest  had  said  a  prayer  over  us  ?  " 

"  I  do,"  I  answered,  most  sincerely. 

"  Then  I  am  satisfied  ;  "  and"  closing  her  eyes,  she  sank  back 
upon  a  pillow,  and  seemed  to  doze  for  a  while,  but  at  length  her 
breathing  became  regular,  and  she  slept. 

I  looked  at  Gracia,  but  that  young  lady  did  not  appear  to  have 
noticed  our  conversation. 


170  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

44  Senorita,"  I  said,  softly,  standing  by  her  side,  "  did  you  hear 
the  ravings  of  Isadora  ?  " 

u  I  will  answer  just  as  you  wish,*'  she  replied. 

44  Then  say  that  you  heard  all  that  passed,  and  an  explanation 
would  be  agreeable." 

u  I  am  not  a  confessor,"  she  answered  ;  "  but  the  gentleman 
who  saved  my  life  is  entitled  to  much  consideration,  and  if  he 
speaks  I  will  listen." 

"  And  will  you  judge  me  fairly?  "  I  asked. 

44  I  shall  not  be  a  hard-hearted  judge  towards  you,  even  if  your 
faults  are  heavy,  for  you  are  young,  and  have  time  enough  to  re- 
pent." 

I  took  her  hand,  and  kissed  it.  She  did  not  withdraw  it,  so  I 
gained  courage  to  proceed. 

"  I  am  fearful  of  offending  your  pure  heart  when  I  tell  you 
that  Isadora  and  myself  are  not  married,"  I  said,  with  a  burning 
face. 

*  I  know  it,"  was  the  answer.  "  She  told  me  as  much,  two 
days  since." 

*4  And  you  do  not  think  the  less  of  me  for  my  sins  ?  "  I  asked. 

14 1  tell  you  I  am  not  your  judge  ;  but  as  a  lady,  I  will  say  that 
you  have  committed  some  faults." 

44  How  can  I  thank  you  for  this  kindness  ?  "  I  asked,  with  ad- 
miration for  her  friendship. 

44  By  telling  me  your  whole  history  while  Isadora  sleeps." 

44  And  conceal  nothing?  "  I  asked. 

44  Nothing  but  what  would  be  improper  for  a  maiden  to  hear," 
she  responded,  with  a  gentle  pressure  of  her  hand. 

I  glanced  towards  Isadora,  and  saw  that  she  was  sleeping 
calmly  under  the  effects  of  the  opiate  ;  and  then  I  began  to 
relate  matters  connected  with  my  acquaintance  with  Isadora  just 
as  they  had  occurred,  and  did  not  attempt  to  shield  myself  in  any 
respect.  When  I  had  concluded,  I  awaited  her  decision  with  a 
trembling  heart. 

44  You  have  committed  some  wrongs  in  your  life,"  she  said, 
with  a  gentle  smile,  "  but  not  enough  to  prevent  your  being  for- 
given. Most  men,  I  suppose,  have  faults  of  some  kind  to  answer 
for,  and  if  they  did  not,  they  would  no  longer  be  men." 

She  smiled  so  sweetly   upon  me  that  I  forgot  Isadora,  and 


A   JEALOUS   FIT.  171 

everything  excepting  Gracia.  I  stole  an  arm  around  her  waist, 
and  gently  pressed  her  to  my  heart ;  and  as  I  did  so  heard  a 
loud  scream,  and  looking  up  saw  that  Isadora  was  regarding  us 
with  eyes  which  seemed  glowing  with  fire. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

A  JEALOUS    SICK  WOMAN.  —  DEATH   OF   ISADORA^ CONSOLATION 

PROMISED    BY    GRACIA. HOW    MEN    FORGET.  MURPHY    AND 

HIS   PLANS. 

As  Gracia  caught  sight  of  Isadora's  face,  so  fierce  and  revenge- 
ful, she  shrunk  from  my  side,  and  would  have  left  the  state-room, 
but  was  too  agitated  to  rise. 

"•Wretches  !  "  Isadora  cried,  passion  almost  choking  her  utter- 
ance ;  "  while  I  am  dying  you  are  embracing.  Is  this  the  love  you 
swore  you  entertained  for  me,  and  which  induced  me  to  leave 
Cuba  and  follow  you  to  this  abominable  spot  upon  the  earth  ?  " 

"  But  listen  to  me  for  a  moment,  Isadora,"  I  pleaded. 

"  I  wonk  listen  to  you,  traitor !  "  she  cried,  with  increased  pas- 
sion. "  You  have  betrayed  me  —  you  have  abandoned  my  love 
for  another's,  and  all  the  vows  a  man's  heart  is  capable  of 
uttering  cannot  make  me  think  of  you  as  I  once  did.  If  I  had  a 
knife,  I  would  kill  you  and  that  soft,  sentimental  thing  by  your 
side." 

"  Those  are  wild  expressions,  Isadora,"  I  said. 

She  did  not  reply,  but,  exhausted,  regarded  me  attentively. 
Her  eyes  lost  much  of  their  fierceness,  and  I  anticipated  a  re- 
action in  her  feelings  in  a  short  time  —  that  is,  if  I  went  to  work 
in  a  proper  manner  to  produce  it.  I  motioned  to  Gracia  to  leave 
the  room  for  a  moment,  and  the  poor  girl  was  glad  enough  to 
comply  with  my  hint,  and  get  beyond  the  reach  of  such  insane  de- 
nunciations. 

"  My  dear  girl,"  I  said,  attempting  to  take  Isadora's  hand,  which 
was  withdrawn  quickly.  "  You  were  deceived  in  w^at  you  saw. 
We  were  watching  by  your  side,  and  whispering  respecting  your 
speedy  recovery." 


172  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

"  But  I  saw  your  arm  around  her  waist,'*  Isadora  said. 

"  You  think  that  you  did,  but  is  it  not  possible  that  you  might 
have  been  deceived  ?  Look  at  me,  and  ask  your  heart  the  ques- 
tion." 

Her  hand  no  longer  strayed  from  mine.  She  was  fast  recover- 
ing from  her  jealous  fit,  when  Gracia  entered  the  room  to  obtain 
a  book  which  she  had  been  reading.  At  the  sight  of  one.  whom 
she  supposed  to  be  a  rival  in  my  affections,  all  of  Isadora's  bad 
nature  returned.  The  blood  rushed  to  her  face,  and  her  eyes 
flashed  like  diamonds.  She  started  up,  and  would  have  spoken, 
but  her  words  were  checked  by  a  rush  of  blood  that  gushed  from 
her  mouth,  and  spirted  over  the  bed-clothes  in  torrents.  She 
had  ruptured  a  blood-vessel  in  her  rage.  She  sank  back  upon 
her  pillow  with  a  groan,  the  blood  still  oozing  from  her  mouth. 
Still  her  eyes  were  fixed  upon  me,  even  in  that  moment,  as 
though  she  loved  me,  in  spite  of  her  denunciations.  She  even 
raised  her  hand  and  placet  it-upon  mine,  and  pressed  it  slightly 
in  token  of  forgiveness. 

I  was  so  much  alarmed  I  did  not  know  what  to  do,  and  I 
could  only  pass  my  hand  under  her  head,  and  kiss  her  forehead 
most  tenderly ;  for  my  strong  love  returned  at  that  awful  mo- 
ment, and  I  would  have  given  even  my  diamonds  to  have 
restored  her  to  health.  I  turned  to  look  for  Gratia,  but  the 
poor  girl  had  fled  to  the  cabin  in  alarm,  and  I  could  hear  her 
sob,  undisturbed  by  Murphy's  snoring,  which  was  none  of  the 
slightest. 

Isadora  motioned  for  me  to  place  my  face  close  to  her  mouth, 
so  that  she  could  whisper  to  me.  I  complied  with  her  request. 

"  Do  you  still  love  me?  "  she  asked. 

"  I  do,"  I  replied. 

"  Then  I  die  satisfied.  Think  of  me  sometimes,  for,  if  I  can 
live  after  death,  as  it  is  said  that  we  can,  I  shall  watch  over  you 
and  assist  you  ;  but  don't  marry  that  —  " 

She  ceased  speaking,  for  blood  again  gushed  from  her  mouth 
and  choked  her  utterance.  There  was  a  slight  struggle,  and  all 
was  still.  When  I  raised  my  head,  she  was  dead.  I  wiped  some 
stains  from  her  face,  beautiful  in  death,  and  then  covered  the 
remains  witfc  a  clean  sheet,  and  joined  Gracia  with  a  heart  more 
sorrowful  than  I  had  ever  known  during  my  whole  life. 


A   LITTLE   CONSOLATION.  173 

"  My  dear  friend,"  she  said,  "  I  am  the  cause  of  this  unhappi- 
ness,  and  terrible  calamity.  Can  you  forgive  me  ?  " 

"  I  have  nothing  to  forgive,"  I  said.  " The  poor  girl's  jealousy 
led  her  to  suspect  that  I  wronged  her." 

She  did  not  reply,  but  her  hand  remained  upon  my  arm,  and 
her  eyes  were  fixed  upon  the  cabin  floor. 

"  Let  us,"  I  said,  taking  her  hand  in  mine,  "  mourn  for  her  as 
sincerely  as  I  should  mourn  for  you.  She  was  the  first  one  I 
ever  loved,  and  probably  will  be  the  last  one  who  will  ever  love 
me ;  "  and  I  was  so  overcome  at  the  thought,  that  I  was  com- 
pelled to  hide  my  face  for  a  few  moments. 

"  Did  you  love  her  very  much  ?  "  Gracia  asked,  in  a  whisper. 

"Very  much,"  I  replied.  "I  feel  as  though  I  should  never 
love  again." 

"  No  one?"  she  asked,  sorrowfully,  still  suffering  her  hand  to 
remain  in  mine. 

"  No  one,"  I  replied,  looking  up.  "  At  least,"  I  continued, 
"  no  one  unless  you  will  at  some  future  day  have  mercy  on  me, 
and  call  me  a  friend." 

"  And  you  think  that  would  make  you  happy?  "  she  asked. 

"  Nothing  in  the  world  will  ever  reconcile  me  to  life  but  that," 
I  answered,  as  I  believed,  most  sincerely. 

"  It  is  too  soon  to  talk  on  such  matters,"  she  said,  after  a  mo- 
ment's pause.  "  Yet  let  us  be  friends  even  now,  for,  indeed,  I 
have  much  need  of  a  sincere  friend." 

"  And  I  shall  be  proud  of  the  honor,"  I  replied,  most  sincerely. 
"  I  ask  for  nothing  more." 

She  gave  me  her  hand,  I  kissed  it,  and  then  conducted  her  to 
the  room  where  I  had  slept  for  the  past  week  or  ten  days,  and 
bade  her  good  night  with  as  much  respect  as  if  she  had  been  a 
queen,  and  my  life  depended  on  her  caprice. 

I  sat  and  watched  by  the  side  of  Isadora  until  daylight,  when  I 
awoke  Murphy. 

"  Well,"  he  grunted  ;  "  what  is  it?" 

"  I  have  some  bad  news  to  communicate,"  I  replied. 

"Bad  news?  the  devil !  The  Scorpion  is  not  in  sight — is  she?" 
he  asked,  tumbling  from  his  berth  to  the  deck. 

"  No,  not  that.     Isadora  is  dead." 

"  Thunder  !     She  went  suddenly,  though  —  didn't  she  ?  " 


174  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

"  Her  death  was  unexpected,"  I  replied. 

"  I  wish  that  we  could  have  known  it  yesterday.  How  we 
might  have  cheated  old  Cringy,  and  she  wouldn't  have  been  none 
the  worse  off,  that  I  know  of.  Well,  there's  a  good  spec  gone  to 
the  devil,  and  I  ain't  to  blame  for  it,  that  I  know  of." 

I  remained  silent.  The  captain  opened  his  liquor  case  and 
helped  himself  to  a  strong  glass  of  brandy,  and  handed  the  bottle 
to  me.  I  declined  it. 

"  Well,  what  are  we  going  to  do?"  he  asked,  after  a  pause. 
"  I  don't  s'pose  that  it  would  be  fair  to  sell  the  girl,  now  that  she's 
dead,  and  so  cheat  old  Cringy  —  would  it?  " 

I  shook  my  head,  too  disgusted  to  speak. 

"  I'll  tell  you  what  we  can  .do,"  the  captain  said,  brightening 
up,  and  sinking  his  voice  to  a  whisper ;  "  there's  the  other  girl ; 
Cringy  don't  care  which  one  he  gets,  if  he  only  has  a  white  wife." 

"  You  know  that  I  have  opposed  to  this  plan  all  along,"  I  said. 

"  Do  you  dare  to  show  signs  of  mutiny  in  my  cabin  ?  "  the 
captain  asked,  pale  with  rage. 

"  If  you  force  me  to  it,  I  shall  answer  yes,"  I  replied.  "  Un- 
derstand me  distinctly.  I  rescued  the  lady  from  the  ship,  and 
was  the  means  of  bringing  on  board  five  boxes  of  gold.  With- 
out my  advice  no  boat  would  have  been  sent.  For  this  service  I 
demand  that  the  lady  is  placed  under  my  care. 

"Are  you  done?"  he  asked,  purple  with  rage,  and  feeling 
nervously  in  his  pockets,  as  though  searching  for  a  revolver. 

"  I  am,"  I  replied. 

"  Then  just  walk  into  that  state-room,  and  remain  till  I  tell  you 
to  come  out.  You're  off  duty,  and  you  shall  stay  off  till  you  ax 
my  pardon,  and  know  how  to  treat  me  like  a  gentleman." 

"  Then  the  world  will  have  to  end  before  I  make  such  an  ac- 
knowledgment," I  answered. 

"  We  shall  see,"  was  his  answer.  "  You  go  in  the  state-room, 
and  stay  there  till  I  call  you  out." 

"  I  shall  do  nothing  of  the  kind,"  I  replied.  "  I  shall  go  on 
deck  and  stay  in  the  cabin  as  long  as  I  please.  I  am  off  duty, 
and  that  is  enough." 

"  I  have  a  great  mind  to  strangle  you,"  he  said,  working  his 
hard,  knobby  hands  as  he  spoke,  as  though  he  could  hardly  refrain 
from  attempting  it. 

"  Let  me  know  when  you  commence,  for  I  shall  want  a,  share 


A  BOW   IN  THE   CABIN.  »       175 

in  that  sport,"  I  replied,  insolently,  and  with  an  air  of  the  utmost 
indifference. 

For  a  few  seconds  we  stood  looking  at  each  other,  my  hand 
upon  my  revolver,  and  it  seemed  as  though  he  could  not  restrain 
his  passion  ;  but  at  length  he  mastered  it^  and  walked  out  of  the 
cabin  and  on  deck. 

The  instant  he  was  gone,  I  looked  up  and  saw  the  beautiful  but 
terrified  face  of  Gracia. 

"  May  the  saints  protect  me,  senor,"  she  said,  wringing  her 
hands ;  "  for  I  have  heard  all  your  conversation  with  that  bad 
man,  and  what  he  proposes  to  do  with  me»  O,  save  me  from 
such  a  dreadful  fate  !  " 

"  Do  not  be  alarmed,"  I  replied.  "  Before  he  shall  carry  his 
designs  into  effect  I  will  kill  him  like  a  dog.  Trust  all  to  me." 

44 1  do  trust  to  yon,"  she  replied.  "  Honor  and  life  are  in  your 
hands.  Save  me,  and  then  demand  your  reward." 

"  I  ask  for  no  reward  but  your  gratitude,"  I  answered,  kissing 
her  hand;  and  thinking  how  very  beautiful  she  was. 

"  My  gratitude  you  have  already.  Save  me,  and  you  shall 
have  my  —  " 

She  paused  suddenly,  and  covered  her  agitated  face  with  her 
hands. 

u  Dare  I  ask  for  your  love  at  the  proper  time?"  I  said,  putting 
an  arm  around  her  waist. 

"  Do  you  wish  it?  "'she  asked,  looking  up  with  her  beautiful 
eyes  in  such  a  manner,  that  I  felt  life  would  be  worthless  with- 
out it. 

"  I  love  you  as  I  never  loved  before,"  I  replied,  warmly. 
"  With  the  promise  of  your  hand,  I  could  encounter  a  worse  man 
than  the  captain,  and  come  off  victorious." 

"  Then  take  me  to  your  arms  and  with  me  my  whole  heart, 
for  I  have  loved  you  since  the  day  you  saved  my  life*" 

I  had  only  time  to  bless  and  kiss  her,  when  I  heard  the  stew- 
ard's steps  entering  the  cabin,  and  with  a  confiding  glance  Gracia 
left  me  and  retreated  into  her  state-room. 

"  I  hear,  sir,"  the  steward  said,  sinking  his  voice  to  a  whisper, 
"  that  the  old  man  has  turned  you  off  duty.  How  is  that?" 

"  Well,  I  suppose  that  he  has,"  I  answered. 

"  But  what  for,  sir?     The  men. will  want  to  know,  you  know." 

"  Then  I'm  afraid  that  they  won't  know  —  at  least  from  me," 
I  answered,  in  an  indifferent  manner. 


176  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

"  But  I  know,  sir,"  the  steward  cried,  with  a  cunning  look, 
and  sinking  his  voice  still  lower,  for  fear  the  old  man  should  over- 
hear him.  "  I  heard  you  and  the  cap'n  talk  about  the  money, 
and  I  heard  you  say  that  you  wouldn't  agree  to  cheat  the  men 
out  of  a  cent.  The  men  knows  that,  sir,  and  you  won't  have 
much  trouble  in  getting  'em  to  stick  by  you." 

"  What  should  I  require  the  men  to  stick  by  me  for  ?  "  I  asked, 
in  apparent  astonishment.  "  I  am  knocked  off  duty  because  I 
don't  agree  with -the  captain  on  certain  points.  Well,  we  can 
part,  and  he  can  .get  some  other  man  to  fill  my  place.  That's  all." 

"  It's  the  gold,  I  know,  sir,"  the  steward  whispered.  "  Don't 
be  afeard  of  me.  I'm  true  as  steel,  but  I  ain't  going  to  have  no 
games  come  over  me  by  the  old  man,  no  how  you  can  fix  it.  And 
the  crew  won't  nuther.  Mark  my  word." 

I  made  no  reply,  and  the  steward  started  to  go  on  deck,  but 
returned. 

"  You  couldn't  spare  me  a  couple  bottles  of  gin,  could  you,  sir?* 
he  asked.  "  I  want  it  for  a  particular  purpose." 

I  knew  what  he  wanted  it  for,  as  well  as  though  he  had  told 
me.  I  unlocked  my  liquor  case  and  gave  the  bottles  to  him ; 
he  concealed  them  in  his  pantry,  and  then  went  on  deck,  where  I 
soon  followed  him.  I  saw  that  old  Cringy  was  pushing  off  from 
the  shore  in  his  canoe,  and  I  expected  that  a  bargain  would  be 
closed  that  moring  with  Murphy  for  Gracia,  and  I  wondered  how 
I  should  frustrate  it. 

"  How  does  you  all  do  dis  berry  fine  mornin'?  "  Cringy  asked, 
as  he  stepped  on  deck.  "  I  s'pose  dat  de  ladies  was  charmed  wid 
de  music  last  night.  Ah,  dat  was  berry  fine,  and  all  de  niggers 
on  shore  mad  'cos  I  want  white  wifey.  I  no  care  for  'em,  dough. 
I  rich  nigger  and  hab  plenty  ob  slaves." 

Murphy  made  no  reply,  but  walked  the  deck  in  moody  silence. 

"What  de  matter  wid  you  all  dis  morning?"  Cringy  asked. 
"  You  all  look  as  dough  you  no  eat  your  breakfast  berry  well. 
What  de  matter?" 

"  The  matter  is,"  replied  Murphy,  "  that  your  cussed  singing 
and  howling  last  night  frightened  one  of  the  women,  and  she  is 
dead." 

"  But  dare  is  one  left,  and  she  do  for  me,"  the  old  slave  dealer 
replied ;  "  I  no  want  both.  One  'spensive,  and  she  do  well  as 
two.  I  take  de  one  dat  is  left." 


SELLING    GRACIA.  177 

He  seemed  to  care  no  more  for  Isadora's  sudden  death  than  if 
she  had  been  a  slave. 

"  You  know  what  we  were  talking  about,"  Murphy  said, 
speaking  so  that  I  could  hear  him,  as  though  on  purpose  to  an- 
noy me. 

"  I  doesn't  'zackly  recollect,"  the  darky  said. 

"  Why,  didn't  you  offer  me  a  hundred  black  birds  for  either  one 
of  the  women?"  the  captain  demanded. 

44  I  sartinly  did,"  replied  Cringy,  with  a  hideous  grin. 

44  Then  I  tell  you  that  I  accept,  and  that  as  soon  as  the  niggers 
are  on  board  the  woman  is  yours." 

"  But  I  have  a  word  to  say  against  that,"  I  remarked,  to  Crin- 
gy's  intense  surprise.  *4 1  claim  her  as  my  property,  and  no  man 
shall  sell  her  or  offer  her  an  insult  as  long  as  I  live.  Sooner  than 
see  her  sold,  I'll  blow  her  brains  out." 

The  old  darky  looked  astonished,  and  no  doubt  he  was. 

44 1  am  the  master  of  this  vessel,"  Murphy  said,  "  and  I  shall 
do  as  I  please.  The  woman  is  sold,  and  you  can't  help  yourself. 
Now  go  down  below,  or  I'll  put  you  down.  You  fool !  do  you 
suppose  I  would  have  permitted  a  woman  to  come  on  board  un- 
less I  intended  to  trade  her  off  for  niggers?" 

He  advanced  towards  me  with  a  menacing  look ;  but  just  at 
that  moment  I  saw  a  movement  of  the  crew,  and  that  they  were 
coming  aft.  Murphy  saw  them  also,  and  paused. 

44  What  in  the  devil's  name  do  you  want,  you  dog?  "  Murphy 
asked,  fiercely. 

44  Fair  words,  Captain  Murphy,  if  you  please,"  one  of  the  men 
named  Sam,  said.  "  We  belong  for'ard,  I  know ;  but  we  ain't 
slaves,  and  we  can  ask  a  question,  I  s'pose." 

44  Then  ask  it  quick,  and  be  off,  or  I'll  be  among  you,"  was  the 
captain's  fierce  rejoinder. 

44  You  had  better  not  try  that  to-day,  'cos  it  won't  work,"  Sam 
cried,  quite  boldly ;  and  I  saw  by  his  manner  that  the  men  would 
sustain  him. 

44  Mr.  Robert,"  the  captain  said,  turning  to  me,  and  calling  my 
name  to  attract  immediate  attention, 44  go  into  the  cabin  and  bring 
out  six  pairs  of  handcuffs.  I'll  see  if  my  men  are  to  bully  me  on 
the  quarter-deck." 

44  You  forget  that  I  am  off  duty,"  I  said,  quite  calmly.     " 
quarrel  does  not  concern  me." 
12 


178  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

"  That's  what  we  come  arter,"  three  or  four  of  the  men  cried 
out.  "  We  want  to  know  what  the  mate's  knocked  off  duty  for." 

"  Ah,  and  we  will  know,"  Sam  said. 

The  captain's  rage  knew  no  bounds,  and  he  tore  around  the 
quarter-deck  like  a  madman ;  I  expected  every  moment  when 
he  would  leap  amid  the  men,  and  strike  to  the  right  and  left  like 
an  enraged  lion. 

"  Steward,"  he  yelled,  choking  with  passion,  "  bring  me  my 
revolver."  . 

u  No  you  don't,"  the  men  laughed  in  defiance.  "  The  steward 
ain't  going  to  do  no  such  thing,  now  you  had  better  believe  us." 

"  Have  you  got  your  revolver  in  your  pocket,"  Murphy  asked, 
turning  to  me. 

*4 1  have,"  I  answered. 

"  Lend  it  to  me  for  a  moment,  and  I'll  be  your  friend  for  life," 
he  gasped,  his  face  red  with  passion,  and  his  little  eyes  looking 
very  wicked. 

"  Don't  you  do  it,  Mr.  Robert,"  the  men  cried.  "  We  ain't 
got  nothing  agin  you." 

I  turned  and  walked  towards  the  taffrail,  for  I  saw  that  my  only 
chance  to  save  Gracia  was  to  let  the  men  work  as  they  pleased. 

"Well,  men,  what  else  do  you  want  ?"  demanded  Murphy, 
when  he  saw  that  I  would  not  support  him. 

"  We  want  the  shiners  which  was  found  aboard  of  the  Spaniard 
divided  among  us,"  was  the  cry. 

"  You  can't  have  the  money,"  was  the  captain's  reply,  shaking 
his  huge  fist  at  the  men,  and  grinding  his  teeth  with  rage.  "  You 
shall  pass  over  my  body  first." 

"  You  thinks-that  you  is  going  to  keep  'em  all  to  yerself —  do 
you?"  asked  one  of  the  crew,  speaking  sarcastically.  "  O,  yes; 
that's  the  talk  —  is  it?  It's  all  right  arter  you  get  to  Havana. 
We  can't  speak  then  —  can  we  ?  " 

"  We  don't  kqpw  nothin',  we  don't,"  another  one  cried.  u  We 
don't  hear  you  tell  Mr.  Robert  that  if  he's  all  right,  the  men  may 
go  to  the  devil.  O,  no." 

u  Three  cheers  for  Mr.  Robert,"  cried  the  steward  ;  and  as  the 
men  were  well  charged  with  my  rum,  they  cauldn't  do  otherwise 
than  compliment  me. 

The  cheers  were  commenced,  but  hardly  was  the  first  one  ut- 
tered, when  Murphy  sprang  in  the  midst  of  the  crew,  and  began 
striking  to  the  right  and  left  with  his  powerful  arms. 


DEATH    OF    MURPHY.  179 

So  sudden  was  his  onset,  that  the  men  went  back  in  confusion,  aa 
three  or  four  of  their  number  were  knocked  down,  and  fell  heavily 
to  the  deck.  -  At  first  I  feared  that  the  crew  would  leave  the 
field,  put  to  flight  by  one  man ;  but  they  rallied  and  gathered 
round  the  captain,  some  receiving  his  blows,  and  some  attempting 
to  return  them,  and  then  all  were  mixed  up  in  confusion,  with 
utteriugs  of  groans  and  curses ;  yet  the  skipper  still  kept  on  his 
feet,  and  never  ceased  using  his  arms  and  striking  as  hard  as  he 
could,  and  when  he  did  strike,  the  marks  of  his  fist  were  visible. 

At  length  I  saw  one  of  the  men,  a  Spaniard  named  Antonio, 
leave  the  crowd  covered  with  blood,  and  steal  forward.  He  ran 
to  the  windlass,  seized  a  handspike,  again  went  aft,  and  once 
more  mingled  with  the  men.  Presently  I  saw  the  handspike 
raised  and  fall,  and  it  struck  heavily ;  there  was  a  crunching 
sound  that  made  me  set  my  teeth,  as  though  they  were  on  edge. 
The  struggle  ceased,  and  the  men  separated ;  and  there  on  the 
deck  was  the  body  of  Murphy,  his  garments  in  rags,  his  hair  torn 
out  by  handfuls,  and  his  face  and  neck  all  besmeared  with  blood. 

"  Lift  the  old  feller  up,"  one  of  the  men  said,  at  length,  "  and 
let's  see  if  he's  gone  to  Davy  Jones's  locker." 

They  lifted  him  up,  but  there  was  no  sign  of  life. 

V  Won't  you  take  a  look  at  him,  sir,  if  you  please?  "  one  of  the 
men  said,  addressing  me.  "  I  guess  he's  a  goner." 

I  approached  the  spot,  and  examined  the  body.  There  was  a 
large  gash  upon  the  head,  and  the  skull  was  crushed  in,  and  the 
brains  were  visible  and  running  out.  I  placed  my  hand  upon  his 
heart.  Murphy  was  dead,  and  all  the  surgeons  in  the  Massachu- 
setts Hospital  could  not  have  brought  him  to  life. 

"  Well,  sir?"  asked  the  men,  crouching  around  me  with  anx- 
ious faces. 

"  He  is  dead,"  I  said. 

"  But  you  noticed  that  we  didn't  hit  him  with  anything  but 
our  fists.  We  didn't  mean  to  kill  him,  sir,"  the  men  said. 

"  I  should  hope  not,"  I  remarked. 

"  We  want  you  to  take  charge  of  the  vessel,  and  run  her  to 
some  port  in  Cuba,  where  we  can  land,  and  no  questions  asked. 
That's  what  we  wan't  you  to  do,"  the  men  continued. 

That  was  what  I  wanted  to  do,  but  I  didn't  say  so,  for  I  had 
no  desire  to  incur  their  suspicions. 

"  Perhaps  it  would  be  better  for  me  to  leave  here,"  I  continued. 


180  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

"  You  can  then  choose  your  captain,  and  do  as  you  please.  If  I 
take  charge  of  the  vessel,  you  know  me  well  enough  to  know  that 
I  won't  give  an  order  twice.  I  will  be  obeyed." 

"  And  we'll  obey.  Tell  us  to  do  a  thing,  and  we'll  do  it.  Let 
the  man  who  refuses  do  so  at  his  peril,"  was  the  cry. 

"  Do  you  solemnly  pledge  yourselves  to  this  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  We  do,"  was  the  response. 

"  Then  I  will  take  command  of  the  vessel,  and  must  be  obeyed 
as  commander.  Remove  the  body,  and  put  it  on  the  main  hatch, 
and  cover  it  over  with  a  piece  of  canvass." 

It  was  done  in  silence,  and  the  blood  washed  from  -the  deck. 

I  went  below  and  had  an  interview  with  Gracia,  whose  eyes 
still  showed  traces  of  tears,  and  her  face  of  the  agitation  under 
which  she  labored. 

"  I  have  been  frightened  nearly  to  death,"  she  said,  putting  her 
hands  upon  my  arm,  and  speaking  very  slowly.  "  What  have 
you  been  doing?  I  heard  a  noise  and  loud  talking." 

"  The  men  have  had  trouble  with  the  captain,  and  it  ended  se- 
riously," I  replied. 

"  When  shall  I  hear  the  end  of  these  disturbances?  "  she  asked, 
covering  her  eyes  with  her  hands,  and  sinking  upon  the  lounge 
in  the  cabin. 

"  Before  many  days,"  I  replied.  "  It  was  necessary  that  some- 
thing should  be  done  to  save  you,  for  the  captain  was  determined 
to  accept  of  Cringy's  offer,  and  sell  you  for  a  hundred  negroes." 

"  I  would  have  strangled  myself  before  I  would  have  submitted 
to  such  a  fate,"  she  answered,  with  spirit. 

"  And  with  such  a  feeling  you  can  no  longer  regret  that  he  is 
dead?"  I  asked. 

"If  it  was  necessary  for  my  safety,  I  do  not/'  she  answered, 
after  a  moment's  pause. 

"  I  hope  that  you  will  find  me  as  attentive  to  your  comfort 
as  the  late  master,"  I  said,  with  a  smile. 

She  laid  her  head  upon  my  shoulder,  and  I  smoothed  her  soft 
black  hair,  and  knew  by  the  looks  of  her  eyes  that  she  trusted 
me  and  believed  in  me.  We  talked  for  some  time,  and  when  I 
left  her  she  had  promised  me  that  her  hand  should  be  mine  as 
soon  as  a  minister  could  be  found  to  perform  the  ceremony,  and 
until  then  I  swore  I  would  wait ;  but  thought  as  I  went  on 
deck  more  of  the  promise  than  of  taking  on  board  a  cargo  of 


A   PROPOSITION.  181 

slaves,  and  studied  how  I  should  make  the  crew  beiieve  as  I  did. 
The  men  were  on  the  forecastle,  smoking  and  talking  over  the  late 
proceedings,  when  I  called  them  aft.  They  came  quite  readily. 

u  Now,  lads,"  I  said, "  we  have  got  some  work  to  do  before  we 
can  call  ourselves  safe.  You  know  that  the  Scorpion  and  the 
Serpent  are  on  the  station,  and  that  they  owe  us  no  good  will.  If 
they  should  run  in  here,  we  should  be  taken  and  condemned 
without  a  hearing,  and  every  one  of  us  imprisoned  for  years.  "We 
don't  want  this  to  happen,  for  we  have  plenty  of  shots  in  the  locker, 
and  we  wish  a  chance  to  use  them  —  don't  we  ?  " 

"  In  course  we  does,"  was  the  exclamation  of  the  men ;  and 
visions  of  rum  and  tobacco  floated  before  them  as  they  thought  of 
the  shore. 

"  Now,  suppose  we  should  ship  a  light  freight  of  slaves, 
and  be  off  as  quick  as  we  can  ?  We  can  take  just  enough  to  pay 
expenses,  and  satisfy  the  owners,  and  that  is  all  we  care  about." 

"  That's  the  talk,"  was  the  cry.  "  We  don't  want  to  stow  six 
or  seven  hundred  aboard,  and  get  the  fever,  and  all  that  sort  of 
thing.  What  we  want  is  fun." 

"  Then  let  us  go  to  work  in  earnest,  and  in  two  days  we  can 
be  ready  to  sail  for  Cuba.  I  can  get  three  hundred  negroes  from 
Cringy  on  fair  terms,  and  have  them  delivered  on  time.  That's 
better  than  waiting  for  five  hundred,"  I  said. 

The  men  agreed  that  it  was,  with  two  exceptions.  The  second 
mate  and  Sam  did  not  seem  to  approve  of  the  matter ;  and  I 
readily  guessed  the  reason  why  the  former  did  not  feel  comfort- 
able. I  said  nothing,  however,  to  let  him  understand  that  I  was 
watching  him. 

"  We  must  get  that  sickening  sight  out  of  the  way  before  many 
hours,"  I  said,  pointing  to  the  body  of  the  captain.  "  Four  of 
you  will  take  a  boat  and'  go  on  shore  with  shovels,  and  dig  two 
graves  on  the  bluff  that  overlooks  the  ocean,  and  when  you  have 
concluded,  we  will  bury  our  dead." 

But  the  men  had  a  most  superstitious  dread  of  grave-digging, 
and  begged  most  humbly  to  be  let  off  from  such  work  ;  and  at 
length  I  consented  to  hire  a  party  of  Cringy's  men  to  do  the  busi- 
ness, and  sent  the  second  mate  on  shore  to  see  that  it  was  done 
well.  I  did  not  dare  to  leave  the  vessel,  for  I  feared  to*  trust 
Gracia  without  my  protection.  I  saw  that  the  mate  selected  Sam 
as  a  companion  to  help  him,  and  I  did  not  like  their  appearance 


182  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

as  they  passed  over  the  side.  I  determined  to  watch  their  move- 
ments closely,  and  then  set  the  carpenter  to  work  to  make  a 
couple  of  coffins,  but  had  forgot  the  movements  of  the  mate 
and  Sam,  when  the  steward  gave  me  a  hint  that  he  would  like  to 
speak  with  me  in  the  cabin.  I  followed  him  in,  and  with  an  air 
of  great  secrecy,  he  whispered,  — 

"  Cap'n,  that  second  mate  and  Sam  are  rascals,  and  you  should 
know  it.  I  tell  you  that  they  is,  'cos  I  know  'em." 

I  did  not  say  that  I  suspected  as  much,  for  I  wanted  to  see 
what  proof  he  had  of  his  assertion. 

"  Why  do  you  think  so?  "  I  asked,  after  a  short  examination 
of  the  fellow's  face,  to  see  if  he  was  playing  false,  or  acting 
honest. 

"  'Cos,  sir,  I  seed  'em  talking  together  ever  so  much,  and  I 
don't  think  that  the  mate  likes  it,  'cos  he  can't  have  the  gal." 

"  Why,  what  has  he  said  about  her?"  I  inquired,  in  a  careless 
way ;  for  I  did  not  wish  to  show  how  much  I  was  moved  by  the 
information. 

"  I  heard  him  tell  Sam  that  he  thinks  it  hard  if  you  must  have 
all  the  women,  and  he  go  without.  He  said  he  didn't  like  that 
'ere  kind  of  work,  no  how  you  could  fix  it ;  and  that  to  make 
things  all  shipshape  he  should  have  had  her,  and  he  would  make 
an  honest  woman  of  her  when  we  reached  port." 

"  Sets  the  wind  in  that  quarter,  my  friend?"  I  asked  myself. 
"  Then  we  shall  have  to  look  after  you  a  little,  and  see  that  you 
don't  carry  your  thoughts  into  execution." 

"  And  what  did  Sam  say  to  that?"  I  enquired  of  the  steward. 

"  He  said  if  the  word  was  passed,  it  would  find  him  alow  or 
aloft  at  any  time.  That  he  stuck  to  friends,  and  had  rather  take 
a  little  cruise  in  search  of  fun  than  go  into  port  just  at  the  present 
time." 

"  Which  means,  steward,  that  he  would  take  to  piracy  as 
readily  as  to  running  slaves." 

"  I  can't  go  that,  sir,"  the  steward  answered,  with  an  uncom- 
fortable feeling  about  his  neck.  "  I  can  sta^nd  caging  a  few  hun- 
dred '  blackbirds,'  'cos  it's  for  tlreir  good,  but  I  can't  go  the 
piracy.  It's  a  hanging  matter,  you  know,  if  you  get  caught ;  and 
in  this  business  it's  only  a  few  month's  imprisonment,  and  lots  of 
chances.  Besides,  what  does  the  second  mate  know  of  naviga- 
tion, I  should  like  to  know." 


A   SUPPLY   OF   SLAVES.  183 

"  He  knows  nothing  about  it,"  I  replied  ;  "  and  you  must  im- 
press this  upon  the  men,  and  let  me  know  if  there  are  others  who 
wish  to  join  him.  He  wants  to  get  you  all  hanged,  I  believe, 
but  I  shall  try  and  save  you." 

„  The  steward  promised  to  comply  with  my  request,  and  left  me 
to  go  forward  amongst  the  men  and  perform  hia  mission,  while  I 
paid  a  visit  to  poor  Isadora,  and  with  my  own  hands  cleaned 
the  blood  from  her  face,  and  put  upon  the  body  such  garments  as 
I  thought  most  suitable.  She  had  not-  altered  in  the  least,  but 
looked  so  mild  and  lovely  that  I  was  almost  excited  to  tears  as 
I  thought  of  her  sudden  and  terrible  death,  and  blamed  myself 
much  for  the  part  I  took  in  causing  it. 

My  heart,  in  those  days,  was  not  the  kind  of  heart  which  I 
have  at  the  present  time.  It  was  a  bold?  and  I  might  say  bad 
heart,  unpurified  by  religion,  and  a  knowledge  of  its  blessings 
and  happiness. 

After  the  second  mate  and  Sam  had  returned,  and  reported 
that  the  graves  had  been  dug  in  a  proper  manner,  I  made  a 
signal  for  Cringy  to  come  on  board,  and  that  worthy  lost  no 
time  in  doing  so.  He  looked  a  little  suspicious  when  he  reached 
the  deck,  but  seeing  that  all  was  quiet,  gained  confidence,  and  was 
as  obsequious  to  me  as  he  had  been  to  Murphy  the  day  before. 

"  Cringy,"  I  said,  giving  the  old  fellow  a  cigar,  which  he  looked 
upon  as  a  rare  treat,  "  we  want  three  hundred  slaves  on  board  by 
to-morrow  night.  Can  you  supply  them?  " 

"  Dat  berry  soon,"  he  said,  shaking  his  grizzly  head  in  doubt. 
"  I  don't  know  vhere  I  get  'em." 

"  Come,  I  don't  believe  that,  you  know  ;  you  have  got  the  black 
birds  in  cage,  and  you  must  let  them  out  to-morrow,  or  I  shall 
sail  without  a  cargo.  You  have  got  stuff  enough  on  shore,  which 
we  left  the  last  trip,  to  pay  for  three  hundred,  and  you  know  it." 

"  No,  no  ;  so  help  me  God,  I  don't  dink  dat  dare  is.  De  markets 
all  fall  short." 

"  I  know  better  than  that,  for  here  is  a  paper  whereby  you  have 
admitted  the  receipt  of  so  many  goods,  and  you  won't  deny  it,  I 
know." 

I  had  found  among  the  papers  of  Murphy  a  large  number  of 
receipts  from  Cringy,  where  he  had  acknowledged  receiving  our 
first  cargo,  and  had  given  us  credit  for  the  same.  This  was  some- 
times  necessary  on  account  of  not  having  an  opportunity  to  land 
and  receive  cargo,  cruisers  being  in  the  neighborhood. 


184  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

Cringy,  when  he  saw  the  paper,  did  not  deny  that  he  had  affixed 
his  mark  to  it,  and  his  mark  looked  like  a  skillet,  with  an  extra- 
ordinary long  handle.  Still  he  was  not  certain  that  he  could  supply 
the  slaves  that  had  been  agreed  upon  at  such  low  prices,  as  he 
should  lose  by  the  operation.  The  old  scamp  was  resolved  to  cheat 
me  if  possible,  but  I  was  equally  as  resolved  that  he  should  not. 

"  By  the  way,  Cringy,"  I  said,  during  our  discussion,  "  the 
king  sent  a  canoe  down  the  river  last  night." 

"Ah,  what  dat  for?"  he  asked,  suspiciously. 

"  Merely  for  me  to  come  and  see  him,  and  go  on  a  slave  hunt," 
I  replied,  indifferently. 

"  Ah,  me  no  know  dat,"  he  said,  anxiously. 

"  No,  the  messenger  was  told  not  to  stop  for  a  moment,  and 
not  to  speak  to  any  ode  but  me.  I  sent  a  few  gallons  of  rum  to 
the  king,  and  word  that  if  I  didn't  get  the  slaves  on  board  to- 
morrow, I  would  come  and  see  him,  and -stay  a  few  days." 

I  was  telling  a  falsehood,  but  I  managed  not  to  let  Cringy  sus- 
pect it,  and  he  didn't,  for  after  looking  at  me  for  a  moment  with 
his  sharp  eyes,  all  screwed  up,  he  said,  — 

"  You  no  go  dar.     De  niggers  be  on  board  to-morrow." 

"  Good  healthy  ones  I  want.  No  fever,  no  sores,  no  sulky 
slaves,"  I  said. 

Cringy  squirmed  a  little,  and  didn't  look  elated. 

"  If  you  do  as  I  request  you  to,  I  will  make  you  a  handsome 
present  before  I  sail,"  I  said. 

His  face  brightened  instantly,  and  he  promised. 

"  I  have  a  favor  to  ask  of  you  by  and  by,"  I  continued,  "  and  I 
ehall  pay  you  well  for  performing  it." 

"  What  you  want?"  he  asked.  "  S'pose  you  want  one  of  my 
wives  ;  you  can  have  her." 

I  didn't  want  one  of  his  wives,  but  he  was  curious  as  a  monkey 
to  learn  what  I  did  want ;  but'I  was  not  prepared  to  tell  him  just 
then,  for  I  feared  that  he  might  reveal  the  secret  confided  to  him. 

u  Now  send  your  darkies  on  board,  and  let  them  get  our  water 
casks.  They  must  be  filled  and  stowed  before  dark,"  I  said. 

Cringy  promised,  and  left  me  to  get  ready  to  follow  to  the  grave 
the  remains  of  Isadora  and  Murphy.  I  had  two  boats  manned, 
and  put  one  coffin  in  each  boat ;  and  then  fearful  of  leaving  Gracia 
on  board  in  company  of  the  second  mate,  I  took  her  with  me,  and 
also  found  room  for  Sam  at  one  of  the  oars,  for  I  had  no  inten- 


THE  BURIAL   OF   ISADORA  AND   MURPHY.  185 

tion  of  leaving  him  and  the  second  mate  to  do  a  little  plotting 
while  I  was  absent.  I  thought  from  their  looks  that  they  were 
slightly  disappointed  at  my  action. 

The  natives  pressed  forward  to  offer  assistance  when  the  coffins 
were  removed  from  the  boats,  and  even  old  Cringy  was  there  to 
volunteer  his  aid. 

"  Pleased  to  see  de  live  leedy  here  on  dese  shores,"  Cringy  said. 
"  She  is  de  fust  leedy  dat  cum  here  for  many  months." 

I  gave  the  signal  to  start,  and  the  funeral  cortege  moved  on  its 
way,  followed  by  the  Coquette's  crew,  and  after  them  the  whole 
population  of  the  village,  children  and  dogs  included.  The  young- 
sters seemed  to  think  that  the  occasion  was  one  for  great  rejoi- 
cing, and  they  were  before  us  and  behind  us,  between  our  legs  and- 
on  each  side,  and  uttered  shrill  yells  when  they  thought  that  wei 
needed  encouragement  to  plod  our  way  through  the  sand,  under 
a  burning  sun. 

"  Have  you  no  fear  of  trusting  yourself  with  these  savages  ?  " 
Gracia  asked,  as  we  walked  in  procession,  with  grinning,  stalwart 
natives  by  the  side  of  us,  all  eager  for  a  view  of  her  sweet  face. 

"  There  is  not  the  least  danger,"  I  said.  "  The  natives  make 
their  living,  such  as  it  is,  from  slavers,  and  they  know  that  any 
act  of  treachery  on  their  part,  would  be  repaid  with  cost.  We 
are  much  more  safe  than  if  belonging  to  a  fifty  gun  frigate." 

After  considerable  toil  we  reached  the  bluff  where  the  graves 
were  dug,  while  the  sailors  formed  a  square  around  them  for 
the  purpose  of  keeping  the  natives  back,  and  allowing  the  inter- 
ments to  proceed  without  confusion.  We  lowered  the  coffins  into 
the  graves,  and  I  read  a  prayer  from  a  book  which  I  happened  to 
find  on  board,  although  how  it  came  there  was  never  satisfactorily 
accounted  for.  The  services  pleased  the  sailors,  for  whether  they 
tmry  the  dead  at  sea  or  on  shore,  they  want  no  half  way  work,  but 
the  full  ceremony.  They  stood  with  uncovered  heads  while  read- 
ing the  prayers,  and  then  the  earth  was  thrown  in,  and  Isadora 
and  I  were  parted  for  this  world. 

I  gave  the  signal  to  the  men  to  return  to  the  beach,  for  I  wanted 
to  spend  a  few  minutes  in  company  with  Gracia,  near  the  grave 
of  one  whom  I  had  loved  so  well.  The  men  rolled  off  towards 
the  town,  but  the  natives,  or  a  part  of  them,  still  lingered,  as 
though  some  other  forms  were  to  be  observed. 

41  Criugy,"  I  said,  calling  the  old  fellow  to  me,  "  can't  you  get 
rid  of  these  blacks  ?  I  want  to  be  alone  for  a  few  minutes." 


186  A   SI  k  7£*t'S    ADVENTURES. 

"  Golly,  can't  I?"  he  exclaimed  ;  and  he  adopted  a  very  novel 
method  of  doing  it,  and  one  which  I  should  have  supposed  would 
have  elicited  retaliation.  He  caught  up  handfuls  of  sand,  and 
hurled  it  into  the  faces  of  those  nearest  to  him,  and  continued  to 
do  so  until  they  started  towards  the  village,  all  the  time  scolding 
like  an  insane  man,  and  filling  the  air  with  gravel. 

Gracia  was  much  amused  at  this  method  of  dispersing  a  crowd. 
I  was  glad  to  see  her  smile,  and  told  her  so. 

"  Dar,  what  you  dink  of  dat?"  Cringy  asked,  coming  back 
somewhat  out  of  breath,  with  the  perspiration  standing  on  his 
forehead  like  big  black  beads. 

I  told  him  that  I  thought  the  expedient  was  a  novel  one,  and 
he  chuckled  at  it. 

"  Ah,  dare's  nothin'  like  kickin'  a  nigger's  shins,  or  drowin* 
dust  in  his  eyes,  when  he  no  want  move.  Dem  dings  fix  niggers, 
and  bring  'em  to  reason." 

Desiring  to  remain  by  the  grave  of  Isadora  for  a  short  time 
longer,  I  told  old  Cringy  that  if  he  would  go  to  his  house  and 
make  arrangements  for  our  reception,  we  would  follow  him  in 
a  little  while ;  and  the  old  fellow  was  good  enough  to  take  the 
hint  and  leave  us,  wending  his  way  down  the  hill  like  a  huge 
flamingo  that  had  been  shot  at  by  some  poor  marksman,  and 
wounded  in  the  legs. 

For  some  moments  we  stood  looking  upon  the  ocean  without 
speaking.  Gracia' s  head  reposed  upon  my  shoulder,  and  my  arm 
was  tight  around  her  waist. 

"  I  have  been  thinking,"  Gracia  said,  "  who  I  should  have 
loved,  if  I  had  never  met  you." 

I  didn't  like  the  idea  of  her  even  alluding  to  such  a  subject,  and 
think  that  she  guessed  as  much  from  my  looks,  for  she  sighed 
and  patted  my  cheek  as  though  I  had  been  a  child.  •» 

"  Why,  what  a  jealous  man  you  are  !  "  she  exclaimed,  "  you 
don't  want  me  even  to  speak  of  any  man  excepting  yourself,  when 
you  know  I  love  only  you,  and  that  I  should  die  without  you.  I 
have  had  cavaliers  sighing  at  my  feet  for  the  last  two  years,  but 
I  laughed  at  the  pains  which  they  said  I  inflicted,  and  now  I  won- 
der if  I  should  have  been  married  at  all  if  I  had  not  met  you. 
'  It  don't  seem  as  though  I  should." 

I  kissed  her,  and  pressed  her  close  to  my  side,  and  folded  my 
arms  around  her. 


A   LITTLE    CONFERENCE.  187 

"  Perhaps,  Gracia,"  I  said,  "  your  father  will  not  consent  that 
we  should  be  united  after  we  return  to  Cuba." 

"  But  if  I  tell  him  that  you  have  been  so  kind  to  me,  and  have 
protected  me  from  injury,  I  think  that  he  will,"  she  said,  most 
hopefully. 

"  He  may  say  that  he  is  rich,  very  rich,  and  that  I  am  poor  in 
compariso  i,  and  no  match  for  his  daughter." 

"  Then  you  can  tell  him  that  you  are  a  gentleman,  and  that 
what  you  did  for  me  rendered  you  noble,"  Gracia  said,  speaking 
very  low. 

"  I  should  tell  him,  dear,"  I  replied,  "  that  I  did  not  want  his 
gold,  and  that  it  was  insulting  to  expect  it  in  such  a  case  as  this ; 
and  then  I  should  kiss  your  hand,  and  remember  you  through 
life,  as  one  I  had  loved  better  than  life  itself." 
"  And  leave  me?"  she  asked. 
'*  What  other  course  could  I  pursue?"  I  asked. 
"  Why,  fifty,"  she  answered,  cheerfully.     "  In  the  first  place 
you  would  know  that  you  possessed  my  love,  and  I  am  sure  that 
should  weigh  much  in  your  estimation." 
I  smiled,  and  kissed  her  most  tenderly. 

*'  In  the  next  place,"  she  continued,  "  there  are  such  things  as 
elopements,  and  secret  marriages  ;  and  if  you  should  say  to  me, 
'  I  have  tried  all  honorable  methods  of  winning  your  hand  and  not 
succeeded,  now  what  shall  I  do  next?' " 

"  And  what  would  be  your  answer?"  I  asked,  with  much  in- 
terest. 

"  '  Why,  you  tiresome  creature,'  I  should  say  ;  *  take  me  with 
my  own  consent,  even  if  you  can't  get  my  father's.'     Does  tha 
satisfy  you  ?  " 

I  could  only  answer  with  such  kisses,  that  her  lips  must  have 
suffered  terribly  in  the  contest.  She  blushed,  and  tried  to  restrain 
my  ardor,  but  was  not  at  all  offended  by  the  course  which  I  pur- 
sued. 

"Now,  you  silly  creature,  are  you  perfectly  satisfied?"  Gracia 
asked,  after  a  moment's  pause,  during  which  we  looked  upon  the 
ocean,  and  thought  of  the  happiness  that  awaited  us. 

"  I  should  be  more  satisfied  if  we  were  married,  darling,"  I 
said  ;  "  but  until  we  are  I  mu^t  remain  content,  I  suppose.  If 
a  priest  was  within  a  hundred  miles  of  us  I  would  go  in  search 
of  him." 


188 

"  And  leave  me  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  By  no  means.     I  should  take  you  with  me." 

"  For  what?  "  she  inquired,  with  a  smile. 

"  For  the  purpose  of  marrying  you,"  I  said. 

"  Are  you  as  anxious  as  that  to  call  me  wife  ?  "  she  asked,  softly. 

I  sighed,  and  pressed  her  closer  to  my  bosom. 

"  Here,"  she  said,  suddenly,  "  kneel  upon  the  grave  of  Isadora, 
and  swear  that  you  will  never  desert  me,  and  will  always  love 
me,  and  will  marry  me  upon  the  first  opportunity.  Swear  by 
the  saints  and  by  the  God  which  we  both  worship  that  you  will 
do  so." 

I  knelt  down,  and  swore  to  do  what  she  had  repeated,  and  I 
meant  what  I  said. 

"  Now,"  she  whispered,  "I  am  as  much  your  wife  as  if  the 
bishop  of  Havana  had  united  us.  Take  me  to  your  heart,  and 
always  keep  me  there." 

With  her  head  closely  nestled  upon  my  breast,  we  stood  and 
looked  upon  the  ocean  in  silence.  One  of  her  hands  was  closely 
locked  in  mine,  and  my  left  arm  thrown  around  the  most  per- 
fect formed  waist  that  the  world  could  produce.  How  long  we 
should  have  stood  there  I  cannot  say,  but  were  disturbed  by 
seeing  Cringy  appear  at  the  foot  of  the  bluff,  minus  his  cocked 
hat,  and  beckon  me  to  come  down  from  my  point  of  observation, 
as  though  in  his  estimation  we  had  staid  there  long  enough. 

"  What  does  that  old  monster  want  now  ?"  Gracia  asked,  rather 
pettishly,  I  thought,  for  we  were  very  comfortable  and  happy  where 
we  stood. 

"  I  suppose  he  wishes  to  announce  that  his  wives  are  ready  and 
willing  to  receive  us,"  I  replied. 

We  walked  along  down  the  bluff  and  joined  Cringy,  who  looked 
radiant  with  happiness. 

"  My  wives  say  dat  she  come  in,  and  glad  to  see  her.  No  jeal- 
ous of  dis  nigger,  as  I  s'pose  dey  would  be.  Come  and  see  de 
hansomest  nigsrers  dat  can  be  found  in  dis  town." 

We  followed  the  old  man  into  his  house,  and  were  received 
by  an  array  of  infants  without  clothing,  and  three  stout  negro 
wenches,  with  brass  and  gold  trinkets  upon  their  arms,  ankles, 
and  pendants  from  their  ears,  so  that  they  looked  overloaded  and 
misshapen.  The  women  were  fat  and  oily,  with  strips  of  white 
cotton  cloth  around  their  persons,  yet  sufficiently  loose  to  allow 


CRINGY'S  WIVES.  189 

the  air  to  circulate  between  the  cloth  and  skin,- and  cool  their 
forms. 

Cringy's  wives  eyed  Gracia  with  considerable  curiosity,  and 
evidently  commented  on  her  style  of  beauty,  all  three  of  them  try- 
ing to  talk  at  the  same  moment ;  and  in  this  respect  I  hinted 
to  my  intended  wife  that  they  resembled  their  sisters  of  more 
civilized  countries ;  but  Gracia  retorted,  by  saying,  "  Men  never 
talk  ?  "  and  that  silenced  me  completely. 

Cringy  brought  in  baskets  of  freshly  picked  fruit,  and  his  wives 
were  anxious  that  we  should  refresh  ourselves.  The  old  fellow 
also  came  out  nobly  in  the  way  of  wine  ;  for  he  had  several  bottles 
of  claret  he  had  obtained  from  a  French  ship  several  months  be- 
fore, and  did  us  the  honor  of  offering  us  some ;  but  I  observed 
his  wives  did  not  partake  of  the  wine,  but  reserved  their  appe- 
tites for  something  which  smelt  to  me"  like  Medford  rum,  and  I 
rather  think  that  it  was,  for  we  had  landed  several  casks  on  our 
first  visit  to  the  river,  several  months  before. 

I  left  Gracia  and  the  wives  eating  fruit,  while  I  lighted  a  cigar 
and  strolled  out  with  Cringy  to  talk  about  business. 

"  Cringy,"  I  said,  u  I  suppose  you  will  do  most  anything  for 
money." 

"  Only  try  me,"  he  grinned,  and  wagged  his  head. 

"  Would  you  like  to  make  a  hundred  dollars?"  I  asked. 

"  O,  golly,  you  jist  try  me  ;  "  and  the  old  darky  eyed  me  with 
a  cunning  look,  as  though  he  knew  I  had  some  work  for  him 
which  I  could  not  do  myself. 

"Cringy,"  I  said,  " you  saw  the  manner  in  which  the  men 
killed  Murphy?" 

He  nodded  his  head. 

*'  Well,  I  think  it  is  prudent  to  leave  two  or  three  of  them  on 
shore  when  I  sail." 

*'  Dat  berry  proper,"  he  answered. 

"  Now  I  want  you  to  help  me  keep  them  on  shore  after  I  have 
got  them  here,  and  for  your  work  you  shall  have  one  hundred 
dollars.  But  you  must  keep  my  secret,  and  never  reveal  it." 

u  Me  understand,"  he  said. 

II  After  they  have  been  on  shore  for  a  few  minutes,  you  must 
hoist  a  signal  that  a  man-of-war  is  in  sight,  and  then  leave  the 
rest  to  me." 

"  But  s'pose  no  man-of-war  in  sight  ?  "  he  asked. 


190 

"  Still  I  want  the  signal  hoisted,  and  I  wish  you  to  find  an  ex- 
cuse to  send  the  men,  when  on  shore,  some  distance  from  the 
village." 

"  I  see,  I  see,"  the  old  man  grunted,  rubbing  his  hands  with 
glee  ;  and  this  was  all  the  conversation  that  took  place,  for  I  knew 
his  cupidity  would*hot  let  him  rest  until  the  hundred  dollars  were 
safe  in  his  pocket. 

We  rejoined  the  wives  and  my  sweet  Gracia,  who  was  eat- 
ing a  banana  and  sipping  claret  with  a  most  fascinating  air, 
while  the  wives  were  drinking  Medford  and  eating  oranges 
as  though  they  cost  but  little  trouble  to  their  husband  to  col- 
lect. In  consequence  of  this  agreeable  occupation,  the  faces 
of  the  wives  were  a  striking  sight,  yellow  being  beautifully 
blended  with  black.  The  fruit  and  the  rum  were  having  their 
effect,  for  black  eyes  were  rolling  most  wonderfully,  and  tongues 
had  broken  loose  without  regard  to  order.  All  three  of  the 
wives  were  talking  at  once,  and  dreadful  work  they  made 
of  it. 

"  De  debil !  "  muttered  Cringy,  with  a  look  of  the  most  abject 
sorrow.  "  I  jist  cussed  fool  'nough  to  go  out  and  leave  de  rum 
bottle  in  der  hands,  and  now  I  no  get  it  agin." 

His  prophecy  was  quite  true,  for  he  made  one  attempt,  when 
he  thought  his  wives  were  not  looking.  He  missed  the  bottle, 
but  was  struck  over  his  head  a  blow  that  made  him  see  quite 
a  number  of  stars.  He  attempted  to  use  the  authority  that  is 
generally  supposed  to  belong  to  the  master  of  a  house ;  but  the 
attempt  was  a  sad  failure,  and  he  was  punished  for  his  presump- 
tion. 

I  can't  say  that  Gracia  was  really  sorry  for  the  old  man's  treat- 
ment, for,  after  the  first  alarm  had  subsided,  she  was  inclined  to 
smile  to  see  Cringy  attempt  to  protect  his  head  and  face ;  and 
when  the  wives  had  conquered,  and  beaten  the  husband  from 
the  house,  she  fairly  laughed  outright,  as  though  the  joke  was 
too  intense  to  keep  quiet. 

A  little  later  Gracia  and  I  sauntered  along  to  the  beach,  arm- 
in-arm,  talking  on  the  way  of  what  we  had  seen,  and  the  signifi- 
cant share  of  negro  married  life  exhibited  after  a  few  drinks  of 
old  Medford.  The  men  touched  their  hats  respectfully  as  we 
drew  near. 

44  Where  arc  the  rest  of  the  crew  ?  "  I  asked. 


SERIOUS   MED11  4T/ONS.  19? 

"  They  have  taken  a  run  into  the  towrx,  sir/*  one  of  the  me* 
said. 

I  glanced  over  the  group,  and  saw  thaf  th^  second  mate,  Sam, 
and  one  other  were  absent ;  but  I  cared  not,  for  I  preferred  the} 
should  be  on  land  instead  of  exciting  discontent  on  board.  I 
secretly  hoped  that  they  would  remain  on  shore  ftll  night,  for  1 
had  my  plans  laid  for  their  welfare,  which  I  hoped  would  not  faiL 
I  carefully  lifted  Gracia  into  the  boat  and  we  shoved  off.  th« 
crowd  of  little  niggers  on  the  shore  uttering  a  loud  y<jU  PS  we  left 
them  to  their  nakedness  and  sand.  I  found  everything  en  board 
the  Coquette  all  right.  Supper  was  awaiting  us  in  the  r&bin,  and 
while  Gracia  stepped  into  her  state-room  to  adjust  her  toilet,  I 
had  a  few  words  with  the  steward,  in  a  confidential  manner. 

uls  there  anything  new?"  I  asked. 

"  Only  that  the  second  mate,  Sam,  and  Bill  declare  that  they 
won't  leave  port  'till  they  gets  satisfaction,"  was  the  answer. 

"  What  kind  of  satisfaction  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  They  say  that  they  will  have  women  as  well  as  you,  or  they'U 
know  the  reason  why." 

I  made  no  reply,  but  I  was  thoughtful  when  Gracia  joined  me. 
and  it  seemed  to  me  that  I  could  make  my  thoughts  assume  a 
definite  shape.  I  had  a  contest  before  me,  and  I  wanted  to  win 
for  Gracia's  sake,  for  I  knew  what  would  be  her  fate  if.  I  should 
fail. 

"  You  are  thoughtful,"  she  said,  after  the  steward  left  the  cabin, 
to  attend  to  some  duty  in  the  galley.  "  Let  me,  who  is  soon  to 
share  your  fate,  also  share  your  thoughts." 

"  My  thoughts,  darling,  are  of  you,  and  I  am  sure  I  cannot  be 
better  employed  than  thinking  of  your  happiness." 

"  Yes,  but  you  seemed  worried  and  restless.  Is  there  any 
more  danger,  or  do  you  anticipate  any?  These  men  are  rough 
and  fierce-looking,  and  your  arm  cannot  contend  against  them 
all,  if  disposed  for  evil.  O,  if  we  were  in  some  civilized  country, 
how  happy  we  could  be  ! " 

"  It  is  for  that  I  am  striving,"  I  whispered,  folding  her  in  my 
arms.  u  We  must  have  patience,  dear,  and  move  with  the  cur- 
rent, and  not  try  to  stem  it  at  present.  Your  beauty  has  occa- 
sioned some  mischief,  but  I  hope  to  overcome  it." 

Gracia  looked  as  though  she  would  readily  dispense  with  her 
beauty  for  the  present,  but  I  did  not  feel  so,  and  cherished  i^  more 
for  the  danger  it  brought  upon  me. 


192  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

The  night  passed  off  quietly,  and  with  morning  canoes  came  along- 
side with  the  slaves,  which  had  been  purchased  up  the  river  by 
Cringy.  As  our  cargo  was  limited,  we  gave  the  negroes  more 
space  than  on  our  first  voyage ;  although,  when  I  looked  down 
upon  the  sea  of  dark  woolly  heads,  I  could  not  help  confessing 
that  they  were  in  rather  close  quarters,  and  seemed  very  wretched, 
although  mute  as  if  born  dumb. 


CHAPTER  X. 

I 

AN  ESCAPED   SLAVE   AND   A   CHASE. A  FREEMAN.  —  A  SPECK   OP 

MUTINY. OFF   FOR  CUBA,  ETC. 

WE  were  at  breakfast  when  I  heard  a  commotion  .on  deck, 
and  hastily  making  an  excuse  to  Gracia,  left  the  cabin,  not  know- 
ing how  to  account  for  the  noise. 

"  What  is  the  trouble  ?  "  I  asked  of  the  steward,  who  was 
standing  near  the  break  of  the  quarter-deck. 

"  One  of  the  niggers  has  got  clear  and  jumped  overboard,  sir, 
and  he's  swimming  for  the  shore  like  the  devil,"  was  the  answer. 

I  heard  a  loud  shout,  and  hastened  to  look  over  the  rail  upon 
tlie  scene  of  operations.  In  one  of  Cringy's  canoes  were  two  of 
his  slaves,  or  servants,  in  full  chase  after  a  brawny  negro,  who 
had  escaped  from  one  of  the  large  boats  alongside,  which  had 
transported  the  slaves  from  the  river.  The  fellow  was  a  splendid 
swimmer,  and  I  hoped  he  would  escape  as  a  reward  for  his 
boldness.  Yet  I  did  not  see  how  it  was  possible  for  him  to  elude 
his  enemies,  who  were  not  only  on  the  shore,  but  mustered  on 
the  water  also,  and  were  shouting  as  eagerly  as  though  on  a  tiger 
hunt,  and  the  animal  was  brought  to  bay.  I  called  to  Gracia  to 
come  on  deck  and  witness  the  sight,  and  in  a  few  seconds  we  were 
both  watching  the  chase  with  much  anxiety. 

The  swimmer  had  struck  out  for  the  shore,  until  he  saw  that 
the  shouts  of  those  on  the  water  had  drawn  a  crowd  of  negroes  to 
the  beach,  and  that  capture  was  certain  if  he  landed ;  when  he 
turned,  and  swam  in  the  direction  of  the  land  which  formed  the 


AN   EXCITING   CHASE.  193 

entrance  to  the  harbor,  and  where  a  bar  made  out,  and  the  surf 
was  breaking  wildly. 

When  he  turned,  those  in  the  canoe  were  close  upon  him,  and 
one  fellow  was  standing  in  the  bow  with  a  paddle  upraised  to  strike 
the  swimmer  upon  that  portion  of  his  body  where  he  would  have 
felt  it  least,  viz.,  his  head,  guarded  as  it  was  by  thick  curly  hair, 
—  for  the  man  was  of  the  Pangwe  tribe,  noted  for  thick  skulls 
and  luxuriant  wool ;  but  the  negro  was  quick  with  his  eyes 
as  he  was  with  his  arms,  and  just  as  the  paddle  was  descending 
he  dove,  and  the  weapon  fell  upon  the  water  with  such  force 
that  the  holder  pitched  head  first  from  the  canoe,  and  nearly  over- 
turned and  swamped  it. 

44  Bravo  !  "  cried  Gracia,  clapping  her  little  hands  with  great 
glee,  and  laughing  most  heartily. 

The  crew  took  their  tone  from  the  quarter-deck,  and,  seeing 
that  the  lady  was  pleased  with  the  incident,  did  not  scruple  to 
show  that  they  were  also  gratified ;  and  a  loud  shout  and  cries  of 
encouragement  were  uttered  in  favor  of  the  swimmer. 

The  negro  who  had  tumbled  overboard,  scrambled  into  the 
canoe  ;  but  by  this  time  the  fugitive  was  some  twenty  fathoms  off, 
swimming  with  lusty  strokes  for  the  land  where  no  huts  or  na- 
tives were  to  be  seen.  If  he  could  gain  the  land  at  that  point, 
there  was  a  slight  prospect  of  his  escape,  provided  his  strength 
should  last  long  enough  to  enable  him  to  take  to  the  bush  and 
keep  clear  of  the  scouting  parties  which  would  be  sent  out.  There 
was  one  chance  in  a  hundred  for  him,  and  I  hoped  that  he  would 
gain  it. 

The  canoe  once  more  started  in  pursuit,  and  gained  rapidly 
on  the  slave,  who  saw  his  danger ;  for  he  cast  anxious  glances 
over  his  shoulder  every  few  seconds,  but  still  swam  towards  the 
point,  which  was  half  a  mile  distant,  as  though  he  hoped  to  reach 
it  before  being  run  down.  But  the  contest  was  unequal ;  although 
the  canoe  was  a  large  one,  and  required  eight  or  ten  negroes  to 
man  it  properly,  and  in  the  hands  of  only  two  men  moved  rather 
slowly.  Once  more  the  canoe  was  close  upon  the  slave,  and 
again  did  the  negro  who  was  in  the  bow  raise  his  paddle  and  pre- 
pare for  a  mighty  blow ;  but  before  it  could  descend,  the  swim- 
mer sunk  as  suddenly  as  though  an  anchor  was  attached  to  his 
legs.  The  negro  looked  around  to  see  where  he  would  rise,  so 
13 


BAVTNO  A  L1FK.  I1-1'* 

time,  and  at  tho  present  period,  was  unjust,  considering  tho  ro- 
lation  which  wo  sustained  towards  each  other. 

The  swimmer  rose,  and  to  my  surprise  and  tho  consternation  of 
tho  natives  on  shore,  ho  had  turned  from  his  course,  andwaj 
striking  out  rapidly  for  tho  schooner ;  and,  what  was  more,  ho 
had  itmdo  such  good  use  of  his  time  under  water  that  the  canoo 

was  oij'.hl  or  ten  fathoms  iVoin  him.       I  could  :*eo  the-  slave    inhale 

air  as  though  his  lungs  were  much  in  need  of  it,  and  striko 
out  for  the  vessel  with  renewed  vigor.  His  enemies  uttered  a 
nhout,  and  started  in  pursuit;  and  this  time  I  could  see  that  they 
mcant'business,  for  one  of  them  picked  up  a  long  spoar,  which 
they  usually  carried  in  tho  canoes,  and  was  about  to  take  aim.  I 
shouted,  in  excellent  Knglish,— • 

44  Stop  that,  you  scamp  I  " 

As  the  native  did  not  know  what  1  said,  the  effect  upon  him 
Wai  rather  startling,  and  perhaps  more  striking  than  if  he  had, 
for  ho  dropped  his  weapon,  and  looked  towards  the  vessel  as 
though  asking  for  ftirthor  information.  lie  saw  about  twenty-flvo 
men  shaking  twenty-five  fists  at  him,  arid  this  was  something  not 
to  bo  disregarded.  Tho  canooman  dropped  his  spear  and  took  to 
his  paddle,  and  the  result  was  such  a  triumph  that  tho  crew  ut- 
tered :v  shout  of  joy. 

Tho  swimmer  by  this  tirno  had  rested,  and  was  striking  out 
again  most  vigorously  for  tho  Coquette.  He  seemed  to  entertain  an 
idea  that  wo  were  friendly  towards  him,  for  he  answered  our  shout 
with  a  yell,  and  swam  until  ho  saw  that  the  paddle  was  again 
flourished  over  his  head,  when  ho  sank,  and  tho  canoo  passed 

OD. 

"O,  ho  is  muy  6ueno,M  cried  my  friond  Gracia,  with  such  a 

clapping ;  of  hands  thai  the  slaves  in  the  canoes  alongside  looked 
up  in  astonishment  at  such  unusual  sounds;  and  no  doubt  they 
would  have  smiled  if  they  had  not  feared  that  such  liberty  would 
cost  them  a  low  blows  at  the  hands  of  their  overseers. 
**  Can  you  swim  like  that?  "  demanded  Gracia  of  mo. 
•  Now  a  woman  likes  to  suppose  that  her  lover  can  do  anything ; 
because,  as  a  general  thing,  she  entertains  an  idea  that  he  i<  n.-l 
quite  human  in  somo  respects.  So,  not  to  disappoint  my  darling, 
I  smile,  and  say  that  I  can  swim  some,  I  think,  and  that  I  rather 
prefer  the  water,  if  I  have  a  long  journey  to  make,  to  tho  land, 
bho  is  satisfied,  and  once  more  turns  her  attention  to  -the  slave, 


196  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

who  has  just  risen,  and  is  looking  over  his  shoulder  as  though 
expecting  a  vigorous  blow  with  the  paddle,  which  he  has  heard 
the  sound  of  so  often. 

"  Blast  yer  eyes,  let  the  feller  alone,  can't  yer?  "  yelled  one  of 
my  men,  addressing  the  canoemen.  "  If  yer  want  a  fair  fight," 
he  continued,  "just  let  'em  come  on  deck  or  go  on  the  land,  and 
then  you  can  have  it  out  like  men.  But  two  on  one  ain't  the 
thing." 

The  canoemen  cared  but  little  for  the  remark,  and  would  have 
continued  the  chase,  if  they  had  not  been  brought  to  a  sense  of 
their  position  by  seeing  yams  and  potatoes,  and  several  other  kinds 
of  vegetables  flying  around  their  heads ;  and  I  am  happy  to  add 
that  many  of  the  yams  struck  the  natives,  and  perhaps  caused 
some  little  pain,  for  they  uttered  a  howl,  and  looked  towards  the 
schooner  instead  of  the  swimmer ;  and  after  they  once  looked  our 
way  they  were  compelled  to  continue  to  do  so,  for  every  man  on 
deck  sent  forth  specimens  of  potatoes  and  yams,  as  though  they 
were  engaged  in  business,  and  wanted  to  get  rid  of  the  stock 
on  hand  in  short  order.  What  made  the  matter  more  interesting 
was  the  fact  that  the  men  aimed  very  well,  and  the  canoemen 
were  kept  in  a  continual  state  of  dodging  until  the  swimmer 
reached  the  side  of  the  vessel,  and  was  assisted  up  by  the  sailors 
who  were  alongside. 

"Where  will  you  have  him,  sir?"  the  crew  asked,  looking  at 
me. 

I  cast  a  look  at  the  slave,  and  saw  that  he  was  a  noble  speci- 
men of  his  race,  tall  and  well-formed,  with  muscles  which  looked 
as  though  they  had  been  tried  in  many  a  combat.  The  fellow 
glanced  .at  me  as  though  he  would  ask  for  my  interposition  in  his 
behalf,  and  I  resolved  to  grant  it. 

"  Pass  him  on  deck,"  I  said. 

"  Just  as  he  is,  sir?  "  asked  the  men. 

No,  that  would  not  do ;  for  Gracia  was  by  my  side,  and  the 
slave  was  rather  destitute  of  clothing,  as  in  fact  most  of  them 
were.  I  signified  that  a  shirt  and  pair  of  trowsers  would  im- 
prove  his  appearance  somewhat  before  his  presentation  OQ  the 
quarter-deck  ;  and  the  men  understood  the  hint,  and  soon  rigged 
him  out  with  a  red  flannel  shirt  and  a  pair  of  white  pants.  The 
negro  appeared  very  much  astonished  at  finding  his  limbs  encased 
in  such  articles,  for  it  was  the  first  time,  most  probably,  that  he 


A   PROPOSITION.  197 

had  ever  worn  them  during  his  life.  He  looked  at  the  clothes  and 
felt  of  them,  and  stretched  his  legs  and  arms,  and  hardly  dared 
venture  upon  a  movement  of  his  feet,  until  the  crew  passed  him 
up  the  gangway  and  over  the  rail.  Then  they  pointed  his  face  aft, 
and  he  came  towards  me  with  his  head  bowed,  and  his  arms 
folded  upon  his  breast,  as  though  desirous  of  expressing  his  sub- 
mission to  me ;  yet  there  was  nothing  cowardly  in  his  motions, 
nor  any  tremor  that  showed  he  was  fearful  of  his  fate,  whatever 
it  might  be. 

He  stopped  when  within  a  few  paces  of  me,  and  remained 
silent,  with  his  head  bowed  upon  his  breast,  and  his  eyes  cast  to- 
wards the  deck,  as  though  awaiting  sentence.  Gracia  was  •de- 
lighted with  his  appearance,  and  murmured  that  he  looked  very 
romantic,  and  that  he  would  make  an  excellent  servant  if  he  was 
tamed  and  properly  trained  to  his  duties.  The  slave  was  totally 
unaware  of  the  interest  he  excited  in  her  gentle  heart,  and  did 
not  even  raise  his  eyes  when  she  spoke. 

44  Why  don't  you  speak  to  him,  Robert?"  my  darling  said. 
'*  Don't  you  see  that  he  is  expecting  you  to  say  something  ?  " 

I  knew  that  he  was,  but  I  respectfully  suggested  to  the  lady 
that  it  would  be  of  but  little  use  to  me  to  address  the  slave  in  Eng- 
lish or  Spanish.  But  while  speaking  the  men  cried  out  that 
44  Cringy  was  coming  alongside,"  and  that  he  could  talk  most 
any  of  the  lingo.  In  fact,  Cringy's  men  had  informed  him 
that  a  slave  had  escaped,  and  he  had  hurried  on  board  to  see 
how  much  he  was  out  of  pocket  by  such  an  unexpected  pro- 
ceeding. 

u  Ask  the  slave,  Cringy,  which  he  had  rather  do,  remain  on 
board  of  the  vessel  and  be  my  servant,  or  start  for  his  tribe  and 
run  the  risk  of  never  reaching  it?" 

Cringy  delivered  the  message,  or  said  that  he  did,  and  for  a 
few  seconds  the  slave  was  silent  and  thought  of  the  matter.  He 
looked  at  his  companions,  who  were  being  passed  over  the  gang- 
way and  down  into  the  hold,  and  then  his  eyes  wandered  to  the 
land,  where  the  trees  were  waving  their  branches  as  though  beck- 
oning him  to  come  to  them  and  enjoy  freedom.  I  was  not  sur- 
prised at  his  decision  after  that  long  glance.  His  heart  still  beat 
for  his  native  hearth,  and  his  home  and  friends. 

44  He  say  dat  he  go,"  said  Cringy ;  and  the  old  man  grinned  at 
ths  idea. 


198 

"  Then  go  he  shall.  I  will  buy  him  ;  but  you  shall  swear  by 
your  god,  Ombruiri,  that  you  will  not  seek  to  detain  him  when 
he  wants  to  leave,  and  that  you  will  let  no  one  molest  him  after  he 
has  started." 

"I  no  help  meself.  S'pose  bad  niggers  bodder  him,  I  no'spon- 
sible  —  am  I  ?  " 

u  Yes ;  you  shall  swear  that  you  will  send  no  one  after  the 
slave,  or  parties  to  ambush  him." 

"  Dat  right.  I  swear  'em,"  Cringy  said,  after  a  moment's 
thought. 

I  told  him  to  interpret  what  I  had  said  to  the  slave,  and  he 
did«o.  The  man's  face  lighted  up  with  an  expression  of  joy, 
and  before  we  could  comprehend  his  intentions,  he  had  thrown 
himself  upon  his  knees  at  my  feet,  and  was  making  odd  signs  of 
his  gratitude.  I  motioned  to  him  to  arise,  and  then  pointed 
to  the  shore.  He  understood  me,  and  signified  he  was  ready 
that  instant  to  start  upon  his  long  journey.  But  I  was  determined 
that  he  should  not  leave  us  unprepared.  I  therefore  made  Criugy 
give  him  a  spear,  and  I  added  a  hatchet  and  a  knife,  besides  a 
few  pounds  of  bread,  and  a  lot  of  fruit  which  we  had  on  board. 
Thus  loaded  down,  the  slave  was  placed  in  a  canoe,  and  paddled 
to  a  point  of  land  farthest  from  the  village,  and  set  on  shore.  I 
watched  him,  and  saw  that  he  waved  his  hand  towards  the  vessel 
as  though  to  thank  us  for  our  kindness,  and  then  disappeared 
amidst  the  underbrush  and  trees. 

By  the  time  the  slaves  were  all  on  borfrd  and  secured,  the 
second  mate  and  the  two  men  came  off.  They  had  been  drink- 
ing, I  knew,  and  were  inclined  to  be  swaggering  and  muti- 
nous. I  said  nothing  to  them,  waiting  to  see  how  matters 
would  turn,  and  soon  found  out.  I  feared  a  scene,  and  there- 
fore sent  Gracia  into  the  cabin,  yet  without  communicating  to 
her  my  apprehensions.  No  sooner  had  she  left  the  deck  than 
the  second  mate  and  his  companions  came  rolling  towards  me. 

"  Look  a-here,  Mr.  Robert,  we  jest  want  a  leetle  settlement 
afore  matters  has  gone  any  further,"  the  second  mate  said,  with 
most  amazing  assurance ;  and  his  companions  urged  him  to 
"  pitch  in  and  win,"  as  though  they  were  ready  to  go  any  lengths 
in  his  support. 

I  could  have  shot  all  three  of  them  where  they  stood,  but  I 
did  not  wish  to  stain  my  hands  with  their  blood  if  I  could  help  it. 


A   LITTLE    STRATEGY.  199 

Many  placed  in  my  position  would  have  done  so,  but  I  preferred 
another  course. 

"  Indeed !  What  settlement  do  you  allude  to  ?  "  I  asked,  after 
a  moment's  pause,  so  that  I  should  be  sure  and  command  my 
temper. 

"  You  know  as  well  as  I  does,  that  I  ain't  been  treated  right 
aboard  of  this  schooner,  and  that  I  don't  stand  it  any  longer," 
the  mate  said,  indignantly. 

"  In  what  respect  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Why,  in  the  way  of  women,  and  you  know  it.  Hain't  you 
got  'em  all,  and  don't  give  us  a  show  ?  Didn't  I  speak  for  the 
one  aboard,  and  I  ain't  got  her  ?  Blast  my  eyes  if  I  stand  such 
nonsense  any  longer.  I'm  going  to  have  my  share,  or  I'll  know 
the  reason  why." 

"  And  I'll  tell  you  the  reason  why,"  I  replied ;  for  I  saw  that 
the  men  were  crowding  aft  to  hear  the  conversation,  and  knew  it 
would  take  but  little  to  make  them  explode  like  gunpowder. 
"  The  reason  why  is,  because  I  am  determined  to  look  after  the 
interest  of  the  whole  crew,  and  not  take  particular  care  of  two  or 
three,  as  Murphy  was  disposed  to  do.  If  the  lady  who  is  now 
on  board  is  restored  to  her  father  uninjured,  he  will  probably 
make  us  a  present  of  ten  or  twenty  thousand  dollars,  and  the 
money  will  be  divided  among  you.  If  she  is  misused,  we  will 
gain  a  powerful  man's  enmity,  and  make  a  losing  voyage  of  it. 
This  is  the  reason  why  you  can't  have  her,  or  can't  insult  her." 

"  That  is  the  talk,"  shouted  all  the  men,  with  the  exception  of 
the  mate  and  his  friends.  They  looked  a  little  alarmed  for  the 
success  of  their  scheme,  and  were  disposed  to  tack  ship  ;  but  still 
the  mate  wanted  a  wife,  and  seemed  determined  to  have  one. 

"  I  don't  sail  another  mile  in  this  'ere  bloody  hooker  till  I  has 
a  wife  as  well  as  other  folks,"  he  muttered. 

"  Well,  I  have  no  objections  to  that,"  I  replied.  "  Go  on  shore 
and  buy  a  slave,  and  bring  her  on  board.  I  don't  want  to  find 
fault  with  you  for  your  likes  and  dislikes.  It  is  but  a  short  trip 
to  Havana,  and  there  we  can  part." 

The  man  grumbled,  and  looked  irresolute.  I  continued  to 
urge  him  on. 

"  Criugy,"  I  said,  turning  to  the  old  fellow,  who  was  listening 
with  much  interest  to  the  conversation,  u  haven't  you  got  a  good- 
looking  female  slave  whom  you  can  sell  cheap  ?  " 


200 

I  gave  the  old  darky  such  a  look  that  he  understood  me  at 
once. 

"  Why,  bress  de  Lord,  if  I  hasn't  got  three  of  de  puttiest  gals 
dat  white  man  ebber  seed.  I  sell  'em  cheap  to  white  sailor." 

"  Let  us  see  'em,  you  old  thief,"  cried  the  mate.  "  Where  can 
they  be  found?" 

"  I  go  'shore,  and  send  man  wid  you.     Only  mile  from  here." 

The  second  mate  looked  to  me  for  instructions. 

"  Take  two  hands  with  you,  jump  into  a  canoe  and  go  aftei 
them.  I  will  pay  for  them  if  they  suit  you." 

I  feared  that  the  rascals  would  not  catch  at  the  bait ;  but  they 
did,  and  quickly.  They  suspected  no  trick. 

"  I  s'pose.that  you  won't  sail  till  night?  "  the  mate  asked,  still 
sulkily. 

"  No,"  I  replied  ;  and  mentally  added,  "  unless  something  hap- 
pens." 

The  mate  called  to  his  two  followers,  and  they  entered  a  canoe 
and  shoved  off;  Cringy  leaving  in  his  own  canoe  at  the  same 
time. 

"  Remember,"  I  whispered  to  Cringy,  "  that  flag  must  be  run 
up,  and  you  will  come  off  to  take  us  over  the  bar  ;  send  the  men 
on  a  long  ramble,  and  then  we  will  up  anchor  and  sail.  You 
understand  me?" 

The  old  darky  grinned  until  his  yellow  fangs  could  be  seen 
with  awful  distinctness.  His  eyes  showed  that  he  understood  me, 
and  would  not  fail  to  earn  his  hundred  dollars.  He  shook  his 
head  and  was  off. 

The  crew  were  lounging  about  the  deck  as  though  not  expect- 
ing an  .immediate  order.  All  of  our  fresh  stock  was  on  board, 
and  stowed  away  for  future  use.  The  coops  were  filled  with 
chickens,  and  on  the  spanners,  over  the  davits,  were  hung  bunches 
of  plantains  and  bananas,  while  nets  of  oranges  were  in  the  boats, 
the  only  places  we  had  to  stow  them.  A  light  breeze  was 
rippling  off  the  shore,  just  enough  to  work  the  Coquette  out  of  the 
bay ;  and  as  we  had  nothing  to  wait  for,  I  determined  to  com- 
mence preparations  for  going  to  sea. 

"  Man  the  windlass,"  I  cried ;  and  the  crew,  with  a  shout  of 
joy,  seized  handspikes  and  obeyed. 

The  rogues  were  thinking  of  Havana,  and  the  prize  money 
which  they  were  to  receive  if  they  arrived  safe.  They  were 


THE    SIGNAL.  201 

eager  to  squander  it,  like  all  sailors,  who  work  hard  and  throw 
away  their  earnings.  They  hove  short,  and  then  looked  to  me 
for  commands. 

"  We  can't  get  under  way  until  the  men  return,"  I  said,  in  an- 
swer to  an  inquiry.  "  They  will  be  on  board  in  the  course  of  an 
hour  or  two." 

This  excited  the  indignation  of  the  sailors,  as  I  knew  it  would. 
They  began  to  murmur  that  we  were  losing  time,  and  that  we  in- 
curred some  danger  in  waiting  for  the  lubbers.  I  let  them  grum- 
ble unreproved,  but  kept  my  eyes  fixed  upon  the  flagstaff  in  front 
of  Cringy's  house.  It  seemed  that  he  would  never  hoist  the  sig- 
nal agreed  upon  ;  and  yet  every  moment  was  valuable,  for  I  did 
not  know  how  soon  the  mate  and  his  eo-mpauions  would  return.  I 
walked  the  deck  impatiently,  and  the  murmurs  of  the  men  grew 
more  threatening. 

At  last  up  went  the  flag.  I  could  see  old  Cringy  hoist  it  with 
his  own  withered  paws,  and  then  start  for  the  beach  ;  yet  I  pre- 
tended that  I  did  not  notice  the  signal,  and  waited  for  the  men  to 
make  the  discovery. 

"  Sail,  ho  ! "  shouted  one  of  the  crew,  suddenly  jumping  upon 
the  windlass  in  a  state  of  great  excitement. 

"Where  away?"  I  asked,  apparently  as  much  astonished  as 
any  one. 

•'  The  signal !  the  signal,  sir !  "  was  the  cry.  "  A  man-of-war 
is  in  sight  from  Crinjry's  bluff." 

u  Perhaps  it  may  be  a  slaver  like  ourselves,"  I  replied ;  "  but 
here  comes  Cringy,  and  he  can  give  us  information." 

The  old  darky  hobbled  down  to  the  beach,  and  entered  his 
canoe  as  though  in  a  hurry.  His  men  paddled  off,  and  in  a  few 
minutes  the  boat  was  alongside,  and  Cringy  gained  the  deck. 
The  men  left  the  windlass  and  crowded  aft,  anxious  and  excited ; 
leady  to  fight  if  necessary,  or  to  make  sail  and  attempt  an  escape. 

"What  is  it,  Cringy?"  I  asked,  in  a  loud  tone,  so  that  all 
hands  could  hear  me. 

"The  cussed  English  frigate  comin'  down  de  coast,  and  will  poke 
'em  nose  in  here  sartiu,"  was  the  answer,  delivered  in  such  a 
manner  that  I  almost  feared  he  was  in  earnest.  But  he  gave  me 
a  quiet  wink,  and  I  was  satisfied  that  it  was  only  his  playful 
habit  of  lying,  which  was  second  nature  to  him. 

"  We  are  trapped  !  "  was  the  cry  of  the  men. 


202  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

"  No,  s'pose  dat  you  get  underweigh  now,  plenty  time  to  go 
clear,"  Cringy  said. 

The  men  did  not  wait  for  orders.  They  flew  to  the  windlass, 
and  commenced  rowsing  in  the  chain. 

"  Shall  we  leave  the  men  on  shore  ?  "  I  shouted. 

"  Let  'em  stay,  and  be  cussed,"  was  the  answer. 

44  Then  up  with  the  fore  and  aft  sails,"  I  cried  ;  and  in  a  few 
minutes  the  Coquette  was  under  steerage-way  and  heading  from 
the  harbor,  the  men  working  like  horses  in  hoisting  the  sails  and 
clearing  the  decks. 

44  For  gold  and  Havana,"  was  the  cry ;  and  before  we  gained 
the  bar,  the  deck  was  clear,  and  the  men  smoking  their  pipes  on 
the  forecastle. 

When  we  had  crossed  the  bar,  and  the  schooner  was  making 
fair  progress  towards  the  ocean,  Cringy  began  preparations  for 
leaving  us.  The  village  was  some  five  miles  astern,  and  nearly 
shut  from  view  by  the  point  of  land  which  I  have  alluded  to 
before  ;  aud  yet,  to  the  surprise  of  the  crew,  no  sail  was  to  be 
seen  running  along  the  coast,  as  they  had  supposed,  bound  for 
Gabun. 

44  Whar's  that  man-of-war  you  signalized  from  the  bluff? "  I 
heard  one  of  the  crew  ask  Cringy. 

44  O,  she's  coming  by  and  by,"  was  the  answer. 

"  So's  Christmas.  I'll  bet  a  pound  of  as  good  pig-tail  as  ever 
was  raised  in  Virginia  that  you  seed  the  wing  of  a  gull,  and  sup- 
posed that  it  was  a  man-of-war.  Mind  you,  I  don't  care  if  you 
did  raise  a  false  alarm,  'cos  we  is  uuderweigh,  and  homeward 
bound.  But  you  should  be  keerful  in  futer." 

"You  dinkl  no  see  vessel?"  demanded  Cringy,  indignantly ; 
"  what  you  call  dat,  hey?" 

The  negro  pointed  with  his  long  finger  to  windward,  and  sure 
enough  we  could  see  a  large  ship  creeping  around  a  point  of  land 
close  in  shore,  and  under  easy  canvas,  as  though  time  and  fast  sail- 
ing were  no  object.  I  snatched  my  glass  from  the  hand  of  the 
steward,  aud  took  a  long  look  at  the  stranger.  I  counted  two 
tiers  of  guns,  and  knew  by  the  cut  of  the  sails,  and  build  of 
the  hull,  that  it  was  our  old  enemy,  the  Scorpion,  on  a  cruise  for 
the  purpose  of  getting  even  with  us,  and  repairing  the  disaster  of 
Reago. 

44  Sail,  ho  !  "  cried  the  men. 


A   MAN-OF-WAR   IN   SIGHT.  203 

Cringy  looked  the  astonishment  I  felt. 

"  So  help  me  debel,  I  no  see  'em  !  "  the  darky  cried.  "  He 
keep  so  close  in  land,  no  one  see  'em.  Man-of-war,  by  golly, 
hey?" 

"  And  an  Englishman  at  that,'*  I  replied. 

"  Ah,  dat  be  berry  bad.    Gib  me  my  money,  and  I  go  ashore." 

The  old  rascal  wanted  to  desert  us  as  soon  as  possible,  so  that 
he  could  swear  he  knew  nothing  about  the  slave  trade. 

The  ship  was  about  seven  miles  from  us,  and  coming  down  at 
the  rate  of  three  knots  per  hour,  for  the  wind  was  light.  I  con- 
sidered for  a  moment  our  chances  of  esape,  and  I  must  confess 
that  knowing  as  I  did  the  sailing  qualities  of  the  Scorpion,  I  was 
not  sanguine.  She  had  the  wind  of  us,  and  could  spread  a  cloud 
of  canvas  if  necessary,  as  I  did  not  doubt  she  would  before  com- 
ing within  long  gun  shot  of  us. 

The  crew  were  casting  uneasy  glances  at  the  frigate,  and  con- 
versing in  low  tones  on  the  forecastle.  I  could  see  that  they  were 
determined  to  resist  capture  as  long  as  resistance  would  be  of 
any  service,  and  had  no  idea  of  allowing  the  Englishmen  to 
handle  the  gold  which  we  had  on  board,  and  triumph  over  us 
at  last.  If  we  tacked  ship  and  beat  back  to  Gabun,  even  if  we 
could  have  done  so,  we  should  be  captured,  for  we  could  not  dis- 
charge our  cargo  before  the  Scorpion  or  her  boats  would  be  upon 
us.  If  we  crowded  sail,  there  was  a  chance  of  our  escaping  dur- 
ing the  light  breeze,  unless  the  wind  left  us  and  favored  the 
frigate,  which  sometimes  happens  in  those  latitudes ;  for  I  have 
known  a  man-of-war  to  lie  becalmed  for  hours,  while  a  slaver, 
ten  miles  to  the  leeward,  was  making  her  escape  with  A  three  knot 
breeze. 

"  The  ship  sees  us,  sir,"  cried  the  men,  "  and  is  edging  off 
from  the  land." 

I  altered  the  course  of  the  schooner  to  correspond  with  that  of 
the  frigate,  so  that  our  relative  positions  could  not  be  changed. 

"  De  debel !  "  cried  Cringy,  "  I  no  want  to  go  to  Cuba.  Gib 
me  de  money,  and  I  go  shore.  My  wifeys  no  like  me  be  gone 
long." 

As  he  was  of  no  use  on  board,  and  I  was  anxious  to  make 
sail,  I  gave  him  his  money  and  Murphy's  rifle,  an  article  that  he 
had  long  hinted  he  should  like  to  own.  He  muttered  profuse 
thanks,  but  did  not  seem  to  think  that  much  ceremony  was  needed 


204  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

in  uttering  them,  for  by  the  time  he  had  concluded  he  was  in  his 
canoe,  and  had  shoved  off. 

"  God  bless  yer  !  "  he  shouted,  **  and  don't  let  de  Englishman 
ketch  yer." 

He  waved  his  hand,  and  then  his  people  paddled  for  the  nearest 
point  of  land,  as  though  their  master  was  uttering  some  strange 
oaths  for  the  purpose  of  exciting  them  to  do  their  utmost. 

"  There  goes  his  studdin'-sails,  sir,"  cried  a  man  named  Mat- 
thews, a  sailor  who  had  made  ten  voyages  to  the  coast  of  Africa, 
and  had  been  captured  but  once. 

He  was  a  thorough  seaman,  and  a  person  to  be  relied  upon,  ex- 
cepting when  he  had  free  access  to  liquor,  and  then  he  became 
the  most  drunken  dog  that  ever  landed  upon  the  mole  of  Havana. 

"  Ay,  and  quick  work  he  makes  of  it  in  setting  them,"  I  replied, 
not  willing  to  withhold  my  admiration  for  the  discipline  that  was 
displayed,  even  on  board  of  an  enemy.  "  He  has  gained  none 
on  us  as  yet,  and  we  can  show  more  canvas  than  we  now  spread. 
Get  the  squaresail  ready,  and  let  us  show  the  fellow  that  we  are 
not  idle.  Matthews,  I  want  a  mate,  and  you  will  make  a  good 
one,  as  long  as  you  let  liquor  alone.  I  give  you  the  appointment. 
Jump  forward  and  stir  up  the  men." 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,"  said  the  new  officer ;  u  but  I  don't  think 
I  would  try  keels  with  that  frigate.  He's  got  the  odds  in  his 
favor." 

"  Do  you  mean  that  we  must  yield  without  a  struggle  ?  "  I  de- 
manded, indignantly. 

u  Not  by  a  cussed  sight,"  Matthews  said.  "  I  wouldn't  consent 
to  that,  even.if  we  were  under  his  broadside,  and  every  gun  bear- 
ing upon  us.  I  think  that  we  can  give  him  the  slip  in  a  different 
way,  and  not  much  danger  either." 

"  Be  lively,"  I  said,  "  and  reel  off  the  way  and  means.  Time 
is  precious." 

"  I've  bin  on  this  *ere  coast  afore,"  Matthews  said,  "  and  know 
all  its  harbors  and  creeks,  and  even  the  shoals.  Twenty  miles 
from  us,  to  the  leeward,  is  a  creek,  the  mouth  of  it  not  to  be  seen, 
any  more  than  Pedro's  for  hair.  Tall  trees  hide  the  entrance  till 
you  is  close  on  it.  There's  two  fathom  water  chock  up  to  the 
banks,  and  after  you  is  in,  it's  as  smooth  as  a  mill-pond.  We 
could  run  in  at  dark,  and  drop  anchor  till  the  Scorpion  got  out  of 
the  way.  If  we  can  hold  our  own  till  sundown,  we  can  do  'em, 


A    STERN   CHASE.  205 

take  my  word  for  it.  I've  seen  it  tried  twice,  and  know  the  place 
well." 

"  Can  you  find  the  harbor  in  the  dark?  "  I  asked,  eagerly. 

"  I  can  find  it  with  one  eye  shut  up,  in  the  darkest  night  that 
Africa  ever  seed.  There's  only  one  trouble." 

"  Name  it." 

"  The  niggers  is  ugly  in  that  place,  and  steal  like  a  lawyer. 
They'd  take  the  teeth  out  of  a  man's  head,  if  he  didn't  keep  his 
eyes  open.  They  is  a  treacherous  set,  and  would  sell  their  own 
fathers  for  a  shirt." 

"  But  we  can  guard  against  that.  The  frigate  is  nearing  us,  I 
think,  and  I  have  a  mind  to  try  the  dodge." 

"  It'll  go,  sir,  depend  upon  it,  unless  the  cap'n  of  the  frigate  is 
up  to  snuff,  and  I  don't  think,  from  what  we  have  seen  of  him, 
that  he  is." 

I  resolved  to  try  the  plan  at  any  rate,  and  even  if  we  were 
discovered,  thought  we  could  stand  a  fair  chance  of  beating  off 
a  boat  expedition  in  case  one  was  sent  in  after  us.  I  there- 
fore ordered  the  man  at  the  wheel  to  port  his  helm,  and  we  sud- 
denly jibed  over  our  fore  and  aft  sails,  and  stood  in  towards  the 
land  in  an  angular  direction,  so  as  to  keep  our  distance  from  the 
frigate.  This  brought  the  wind  aft  our  beam,  and  enabled  us  to 
make  good  use  of  our  fore  and  aft  sails,  and  even  use  our  topsail, 
top-gallant  sail,  and  huge  squaresail. 

"  Now  we  are  walking,  sir,"  said  the  new  mate,  coming  aft. 
"  The  frigate  has  noticed  that  we  changed  our  course,  and  has 
hauled  in  his  lower  studdin'-sails  and  braced  up.  He  still  carries 
his  fore-topmast,  top-gallant,  and  royal  studdin'-sails ;  but  I  think 
we  can  hold  our  own  with  him,  in  this  light  breeze.  He  looks  well, 
though  covered  with  canvas  and  his  two  rows  of  teeth,  like  a  giant 
in  search  of  a  breakfast.  If  we  was  only  within  gun-shot  distance, 
how  he  would  rattle  our  spars  about  our  ears !  But  the  Lord 
keep  him  off,  for  his  company  is  disagreeable  at  close  quarters, 
and  I  should  no  more  care  to  be  alongside  than  I  should  like  to 
grapple  with  one  of  the  alligators  of  '  Mud  Creek.'  " 

"  Is  that  the  name  of  your  harbor,  Matthews?  "  I  asked. 

"  Yes,  sir ;  it's  all  the  name  that  I  ever  heerd,  and  that's  good 
enough  for  it." 

"  And  there's  alligators  there?"  I  asked. 

"  No,  sir,  not  in  the  harbor ;  but  a  little  ways  up  the  river 


206  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

there's  lot  of  'era,  and  ugly-looking  chaps  they  is.  Big  fat  ones, 
with  jaws  like  the  schooner's  hatchway.  I  suspect  that  they  grow 
large  on  account  of  their  grub." 

"  Why,  what  of  their  grub?  "  I  asked. 

"  Infants,  sir,"  replied  the  mate,  solemnly. 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  " 

"  I  mean,  sir,  that  the  niggers  what  don't  want  big  families, 
drops  their  young  ones  on  the  banks  of  the'river,  and  when  they 
yells,  the  alligators  hears  'em  and  snaps  'em  up  like  a  piece  of 
soft  tack,  and  makes  nothing  of  it." 

"  Do  you  believe  it?"  I  asked,  with  some  little  show  of  horror, 
for  I  did  not  know  but  that  the  man  was  repeating  an  old  salt's 
tale. 

"  Believe  it?  "  asked  the  mate  ;  "  why,  Lord  love  you,  I  have 
seed  'em  do  it  time  and  time  agin,  and  think  no  more  of  it  than 
if  they  had  left  a  monkey  to  be  scoffed  by  the  monsters.  And 
yet,  sir,  people  who  don't  know  what  they  is  talking  about,  say 
that  we  is  sinful  for  taking  the  niggers  from  their  homes.  Why, 
it's  doing  'em  a  charity  to  larn  'em  something,  and  the  English- 
men will  find  it  out  some  day  or  other,  you  jist  mark  my  words." 

I  had  my  own  idea  on  that  point,  and  was  not  disposed  to  dis- 
pute with  Matthews.  I  knew  that  the  slave  trade  was  a  profit- 
able business,  and  that  I  had  earned  much  money  which  I  had 
obtained  in  running  a  cargo,  and  I  was  willing  to  confess  that  my 
conscience  was  not  badly  hurt  by  the  operation.  I  liked  the 
money,  but  not  the  trade ;  and  I  think  that  such  feeling  will  be 
found  in  every  kind  of  profession. 

"  The  frigate  does  not  gain  on  us,  that  I  can  detect,"  I  said,  at 
length,  after  a  long  look  through  the  glass.  "  The  fellow  sails 
well  in  this  light  wind." 

"  He  is  doing  very  well,  sir,"  replied  Matthews,  with  a  careless 
glance  at  the  Scorpion  ;  "  but  if  he  can't  do  better  than  that,  we 
shall  give  him  the  slip  at  dark.  It  wants  an  hour  to  sundown, 
and  then  comes  darkness.  We  shall  know  if  they  keep  a  bright 
watch  on  board,  for  they  will  need  one  to  see  us  slip  into  '  Mud 
Creek.'" 

"  We  may  as  well  increase  our  distance  from  him,"  I  said. 
"  The  wind  is  light,  and  the  men  want  something  to  do  to  keep 
their  minds  from  an  English  prison.  Rig  a  few  whips,  and  let 
us  wet  the  sails  so  that  not  a  breath  of  air  shall  escape  us.  We 
have  time  enough,  and  men  enough." 


WETTING   THE   SAILS.  207 

"  Ay,  ay ;  Til  give  'em  such  a  wetting,  that  the  sails  will  look 
as  though  they  had  passed  through  three  rain  squalls  under  the 
line ;  and  I  need  not  tell  you  that  it  rains  there  sometimes,  as 
though  they  had  pumped  up  all  the  fresh  water  ponds,  and  then 
turned  them  loose  for  the  fun  of  the  thing.  Ah,  ha ;  we'll  get 
another  half  knot  out  of  the  beauty,  you  see  if  we  don't." 
•  The  crew  were  set  at  work  rigging  whips  at  the  mastheads  and 
others  to  drawing  water,  and  in  a  few  minutes  the  sails  were  wet, 
alow  and  aloft,  every  thread  in  them  being  saturated  so  that  they 
T^ould  swell,  and  prevent  the  wind  from  passing  between  them, 
yet  our  labor  seemed  about  to  be  wasted ;  for  as  the  sun.  went 
down  the  breeze  gradually  died  away,  and  as  the  schooner  rose 
and  fell  on  the  heavy  swells  that  were  rolling  towards  the  shore, 
the  sails  flapped  and  groaned  as  though  eager  to  be  once  more 
filled,  and  go  to  sleep. 

"  This  is  bad,"  said  Matthews,  with  a  whistle  for  more  wind. 
u  I  really  believe  that  the  frigate  holds  the  breeze,  for  her  sails 
look  as  though  full.  If  she  keeps  it  we  shall  have  a  little  boat 
expedition  in  the  course  of  the  night,  or  I'm  much  mistaken." 

"  They  won't  attack  us  'in  their  boats,  if  they  can  reach  us 
with  their  guns,"  I  said.  "  We  once  learned  them  a  lesson  they 
won't  forget  very  soon.  They  know  we  are  well  armed  and 
resolute,  and  boats  won't  be  used  if  they  can  reach  us  without 
their  aid." 

"  No  doubt  you  are  right,  sir,"  Matthews  said  ;  "  but  still  the 
captain  of  that  frigate  would  go  all  lengths  to  have  a  shy  at  us,  and 
if  he  thought  that  he  could  take  us,  even  by  losing  fifty  of  his  men, 
he  would  do  it.  Flesh  and  blood  are  cheap,  especially  that  of  a 
sailor." 

I  directed  my  glass  at  the  frigate  while  he  spoke.  She  was  no 
more  than  five  miles  from  us,  having  gained  since  the  breeze  left 
us.  I  saw,  to  my  joy,  that  the  wind  had  also  deserted  the  Eng- 
lishman, and  that  the  heavy  sails  were  flapping  against  the  top- 
masts with  every  motion  of  the  ship. 

"  Jist  you  keep  an  eye  on  'em,  sir,"  the  mate  said,  "  'cos  it's 
my  opiuion  that  he  won't  keep  quiet  long.  My  eyes  ain't  so 
strong  as  they  used  to  be  ;  but  I  think  I  see  something  of  a  bustle 
on  board.  They  may  be  only  hauling  the  foresail  up,  to  keep  it 
from  chafing  agin  the  shrouds.  I  can't  tell  readily." 

"  They  have  not  hauled  the  foresail  up,"  I  said,  after  a  look 


208  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

with  the  glass ;  u  but  they  have  the  mainsail  hanging  by  the 
buntlines." 

"  Ah,  I  thought  so,"  the  old  man  said,  with  a  gratified  look. 
"  I  thought  my  eyes  was  good  for  somethiu'  yet.  If  they  have 
hauled  up  their  main  course  'tis  for  something  I'll  warrant  ye." 

"  It  means,"  I  said,  after  a  short  pause,  "  that  they  are  hoisting 
out  the  launch,  and  that  we  are  to  have  some  warm  work." 

"  Cuss  me,  if  I  didn't  think  so,"  the  mate  said,  taking  a  huge 
chew  of  tobacco,  as  though  it  was  the  last  he  ever  expected  to 
refresh  his  mouth  with.  "  If  that  feller  isn't  going  to  give  his 
men  (i  pull  of  five  miles  and  not  catch  a  bird  arter  all,  then  I'm 
a  soger." 

"  If  we  could  only  catch  a  slight  breeze,"  I  muttered,  "  we 
should  soon  make  the  fellow  hoist  his  boats  up  again.  He  would 
have  his  labor  for  his  pains." 

"  We  shall  get  a  breath  of  air  out  of  the  north'rd  and  east'rd 
by  and  by,"  the  old  man  said,  pointing  to  a  dark  cloud  which  was 
slowly  rising  in  that  direction.  "  If  we  can  catch  it  first,  the 
frigate  will  have  the  trouble  of  hoisting  up  his  boats,  and  we  shall 
be  the  gainers." 

The  crew  began  to  look  anxious,  and  glanced  towards  the  frig- 
ate, as  though  her  company  was  not  desirable. 

"  We  may  as  well  be  ready  for  the  boats,"  I  said,  "  in  case  they 
come  near  us.  Get  up  the  ammunition,  and  load  the  guns.  We'll 
give  them  a  reception  they  won't  expect,  if  they  do  attempt  to 
board  us." 

For  a  few  minutes  all  was  bustle  and  confusion,  in  casting  off 
the  fastenings  of  the  guns,  and  in  ramming  down  shot  and  canis- 
ter. As  soon  as  this  was  done  the  guns  were  re-secured,  and  the 
men  once  more  gathered  around  the  windlass  and  whistled  for  a 
breeze.  It  was  now  sundown  and  still  calm,  so  calm  that  we 
could  hear  the  ceaseless  roar  of  the  surf  as  it  beat  upon  thg  shore, 
sweeping  in  from  the  broad  Atlantic,  and  ending  its  throes  upon 
the  white  sands  and  rough  rocks  of  the  African  coast.  During 
all  this  time  Gracia  had  sat  silent,  a  contemplative  spectator  of 
what  was  passing  upon  the  deck.  Now  she  called  me  to  her,  and 
I  gladly  obeyed. 

44 Is  there  much  danger?"  she  asked,  with  an  anxious  glance. 

"  Not  at  present,"  I  replied.  "  When  danger  is  near,  I  shall 
see  that  you  are  in  a  place  of  safety." 


A   DEAD    CALM.  209 

"  And  you  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  O,  I  shall  stay  on  deck,  and  do  my  best  to  insure  the  escape 
of  the  vessel.  We  are  not  captured  yet,  and  some  hard  blows  must 
be  exchanged  before  we  are." 

"  Will  you  promise  me  that  you  will  be  careful,  and  not  expose 
your  life  unnecessarily?"  she  asked,  laying  her  hand  upon  my 
arm,  and  speaking  so  earnestly,  that  I  wished  for  her  sake  we 
were  leagues  from  the  frigate. 

"  I  will  make  that  promise  most  readily,"  I  replied,  laughing, 
"  for  I  love  you  too  well  to  wish  to  lose  you." 

She  tried  to  smile,  but  tears  were  in  her  eyes  and  she  could  not. 

"  His  boats  are  in  the  water,  sir,"  said  Matthews,  who  was 
looking  at  the  frigate  with  his  glass. 

"  How  many  of  them  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Four,  sir,  and  they  are  pulling  this  way,  as  though  they  was 
anxious  to  finish  us  afore  the  dog  watch  ends.  Give  us  a  little 
air,  and  their  ash  oars  may  bend  till  they  crack,  but  the  Coquette 
will  give  'em  the  slip." 

The  sun  disappeared,  but  still  the  sails  of  the  schooner  flapped 
with  every  motion  of  the  vessel.  Not  a  breath  of  air  was  stirring 
excepting  that  created  by  the  canvas  as  the  Coquette  rolled  upon 
the  heavy  swells,  and  headed  towards  all  points  of  the  compass, 
yet  did  not  surge  ahead  a  single  fathom. 

"  By  the  Lord,  but  this  is  worse  than  three-watered  grog," 
muttered  the  mate.  "  There's  not  wind  enough  to  stir  a  lady's 
curl,  or  a  rope  yarn." 

"  Let  one  of  the  men  run  aloft,  and  see  if  there  is  any  air  stir- 
ring up  there,"  I  said. 

"  Ay,  ay,  sir  ;  but  I  don't  think  that  he'll  find  any.  Here,  Bill, 
jump  up  to  the  t'gallant-yard,  and  see  if  you  can  hail  a  cat's  paw. 
If  you  do,  let  us  know,  and  we'll  invite  it  to  a  gam.  Be  lively, 
man,  or  we  shall  have  the  trade  winds  before  we  hear  from  you." 

The  sailor  obeyed  the  order,  but  not  with  that  liveliness  which 
the  command  seemed  to  require.  He  recollected  that  the  promo- 
tion of  the  mate  was  very  sudden,  and  that  they  had  messed  to- 
gether in  the  forecastle  —  two  things  which  a  sailor  long  remem- 
bers. - 

"  Mast  head  !  "  I  cried. 

"  Sir,"  was  the  prompt  response. 

"  Do  you  feel  any  air  stirring  there  ?  '* 
14 


210  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

"  I  can  feel  a  breath  against  the  palm  of  my  hand  from  the 
north'ard  and  east'erd,"  was  the  response* 

"  Jist  where  I  said  it  would  come  from,"  muttered  the  mate. 

"  Can  you  see  the  boats?  "  I  asked  of  the  man  who  was  perched 
on  the  top-gallant  yard. 

"  No,  sir  ;  nor  the  frigate,  either." 

"  Come  down,"  I  said ;  and  Bill  was  about  to  descend,  when 
he  paused,  and  shouted,  — 

"  I've  got  quite  a  little  breeze  here  now,  sir ;  and  the  topsail 
and  t'gallant  sail  is  all  aback." 

The  man  spoke  the  truth,  for  all  at  once  a  light  breeze  swept 
over  the  water  and  fluttered  our  fore  and  aft  sails,  and  threw  our 
square  sails  aback. 

"  Blow,  good  devil,  and  take  the  cock,"  cried  the  men,  starting 
into  life  and  activity  by  this  unlooked-for  favor,  even  if  it  did 
come  from  the  direction  of  the  frigate. 

*'  We  have  got  stern  way  on  us,  sir,"  said  the  man  at  the  wheel. 

"  Then  shift  your  helm.  Lay  aft  here,  and  drop  the  peak  of 
the  mainsail.  Ease  off  the  mainsheet.  Brace  round  the  fore 
yard.  Be  lively,  men,  for  every  second  is  worth  a  hundred 
dollars." 

The  crew  sprang  to  obey  the  orders,  and  the  Coquette  rapidly 
got  out  of  irons,  and  once  more  pointed  her  nose  in  the  direction 
which  we  were  pursuing  when  the  wind  left  us  an  hour  or  two 
before. 

"  Now  we  is  off,  sir,"  the  mate  said,  after  seeing  that  the  sails 
were  trimmed,  and  swayed  up  to  catch  everyjbreath  of  air.  "Now 
we  move  again,  and  no  mistake.  Do  you  see  anything  of  that 
Englishman  with  your  glass,  sir?" 

I  took  a  look,  and  saw  that  the  frigate,  having  caught  the 
breeze  first,  had  diminished  the  distance  between  us  most  ma- 
terially ;  but  it  was  evident  that  we  were  moving  as  fast  as  the 
Englishman. 

"  He's  got  to  pick  up  his  boats,  sir,  'cos  we  is  moving  faster 
through  the  water  than  ash  sails  can  send  a  blundering  big  launch. 
We  shall  gain  on  him  unless  he  is  handy  with  his  hooks  and 
tackles.  Ha,  there  goes  a  rocket  in  the  air,  and  it  means  some- 
thin'." 

"  It  means,"  I  replied,  a  that  the  boats  are  to  come  alongside 
and  be  hoisted  up.  There  goes  a  second  one.  The  captain  is  in 
a  hurry,  or  in  a  bad  humor,  I  don't  know  which." 


CLOSE    SHOTS.  211 

"  If  we  was  only  near  him,  I  guess  he'd  let  us  know  in  what 
humor  he  was  in,"  answered  the  mate,  dryly. 

Hardly  had  Matthews  ceased  speaking,  when  I  saw  a  flash  in 
the  direction  of  the  frigate,  and  then  the  heavy  report  of  a  cannon 
came  floating  to  the  leeward.  Almost  at  the  same  instant  we 
heard  a  splash  in  the  water  some  forty  fathoms  astern  of  us,  and 
we  could  see  it  boil  and  bubble  as  though  a  sperm  whale  had  just 
breached  while  in  a  sporting  mood. 

"  He  is  trying  our  range,"  I  remarked. 

"  Yes,  and  blast  him,  if  that  shot  is  any  evidence  he  has  got  it 
down  pretty  close.  A  pound  more  of  powder  would  have  pitched 
that  piece  of  cold  iron  upon  our  deck,  or  I'm  very  much  mistaken," 
the  mate  said,  coolly  replenishing  his  mouth  with  a  fresh  chew  of 
tobacco,  and  casting  his  eyes  aloft  to  see  if  the  sails  were  draw- 
ing to  advantage. 

At  this  moment  there  was  another  flash  to  the  windward,  like 
a  streak  of  heat  lightning  ;  and  the  sullen  report  of  a  cannon  again 
reminded  us  that  the  Englishman  was  determined  to  knock  away 
some  of  our  spars,  if  the  thing  was  possible.  The  ball  struck  the 
water  about  thirty  fathoms  from  our  weather  quarter,  but  not  in 
direct  range  of  the  schooner. 

"  Now  we  move  again,"  said  Matthews,  coming  af£  after  set- 
ting the  squaresail.  "  The  wind  is  hauling,  and  I  shouldn't  won- 
der if  we  had  it  on  our  quarter  before  four  bells." 

"  How  far  are  we  from  Mud  Creek  ?  "  I  asked. 

The  mate  took  the  glass,  and  glanced  long  and  anxiously  towards 
the  shore  before  he  replied. 

"As  near  as  I  can  calculate,  we  are  some  B  five  miles  to  the 
windward,  but  I  can't  tell  for  sartin  till  we  round  Pint  Blank ; 
you  can  see  it  here,  off  our  lee  bow,  looking  as  black  as  fifty  nig- 
gers. There's  a  shoal  running  out  from  the  piut,  but  we  can  give 
it  a  good  berth,  and  let  the  frigate  look  out  for  herself.  I  s'pose 
that  he  has  got  tired  of  pitching  cold  shot  arter  us,  for  he  hasn't 
fired  a  gun  for  ten  minutes." 

The  commander  of  the  frigate  appeared  to  have  discovered  that 
he  was  losing  ground  by  keeping  up  a  running  fire,  and  therefore 
his  guns  had  remained  silent  ever  since  we  had  set  the  squaresail. 
I  found  that  we  were  dropping  our  fierce  /riend,  and  I  began  to 
debate  whether  it  would  be  better  to  keep  our  course,  and  at- 
tempt an  escape  by  our  sailing  qualities,  or  find  shelter  in  Mud 


212 

Creek.  I  had  examined  my  maps  of  the  coast,  and  not  found  any 
evidence  of  the  river,  and  so  I  told  Matthews. 

"  Charts  is  all  very  well,  but  the  marines  what  makes  'em  don't 
know  every  thing." 

"  Breakers  ahead ! "  shouted  the  men  on  the  lookout. 

"  I  told  you  so,"  cried  Matthews,  triumphantly.  "  I  knows 
this  coast,  I  does,  as  well  as  I  knows  how  to  hand  and  reef  a 
sail." 

We  luffed  up  two  points,  hauled  the  sheets  flat  aft,  and  braced 
up  the  fore  yards,  and  passed  to  the  windward  of  the  shoal  which 
was  covered  with  white  water ;  for  the  swell  was  breaking  over  it 
rather  wildly. 

"  Now,  if  that  jolly  old  frigate  would  only  just  run  head  first 
on  the  shoal,  we  could  go  about  our  business  and  care  for  no- 
body," Matthews  said,  as  we  passed  the  dangerous^spot,  and  once 
more  kept  the  schooner  off  with  a  free  wind. 

"  How  far  off  is  the  frigate  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Not  more  than  three  miles  ;  but  that  will  answer  our  purpose, 
I  think.  We  are  now  close  aboard  of  Mud  Creek,  and  if  you 
will  begin  to  make  preparations  for  taking  in  sail,  I'll  go  for'ard 
and  pilot  the  schooner  in.  We  had  better  edge  off  a  little,  and 
get  in  with  the  land.  As  soon  as  we  bring  that  dark  hill  on  our 
beam,  we  can  take  in  the  squaresail,  and  all  but  the  fore  and  aft 
sails,  for  they  won't  be  of  much  use." 

We  were  running  along  a  dark  coast,  heavily  wooded,  I  judged, 
at  the  rate  of  four  knots  per  hour,  and  so  close  in  shore  that 
I  could  hear  the  surf  moan  as  it  beat  upon  the  rocks,  retreat- 
ing with  broken  .ranks  from  a  conflict  which  had  been  carried 
on  for  ages,  and  always  with  the  same  result.  The  crew  were 
alert  and  watchful,  for  they  had  got  wind  of  the  contemplated 
ruse  from  the  mate,  and  were  eager  to  turn  the  laugh  upon  the 
Englishman. 

"  Keep  her  off  a  little  more,  sir,"  cried  Matthews,  from  the 
night  heads,  where  he  had  taken  up  his  station. 

The  man  at  the  wheel  obeyed. 

"  Steady  as  she  goes  !  "  was  the  cry  forward. 

By  this  time  the  hill  was  well  off  our  lee  beam,  and  the  time 
had  arrived  to  commence  taking  in  sail. 

I  glanced  at  the  frigate  astern.  She  was  still  coming  on  with 
all  sail  set,  and  those  on  board  had  not  seen  the  shoal,  for  which 


MUD   CREEK.  213 

she  was  heading.  If  she  struck,  the  breakers  would  not  leave  a 
sign  of  her  timbers  by  morning.  I  was  sorry,  and  would  have 
fired  a  gun  as  a  warning,  for  love  had  made  my  heart  tender  just 
at  that  time,  but  we  were  too  much  occupied  with  thought  of  our 
own  safety  to  attend  to  others. 

44  Steady  as  she  goes  !  "  shouted  Matthews.  "  Steer  small,  or 
the  schooner  will  bump  her  nose  among  the  trees." 

44  Steady  as  she  goes  !  "  I  replied. 

44  Douse  the  foresail,  flying-jib,  and  stand  by  the  mainsail," 
cried  the  mate,  who  was  still  straining  his  eyes  to  find  the  en- 
trance to  the  creek. 

The  sails  were  let  go,  and  came  down  slowly  and  without  noise  ; 
for  we  did  not  wish  to  awaken  the  natives  who  resided  upon  the 
banks  of  Mud  Creek,  or  even  to  let  the  crew  of  the  frigate  hear 
us,  although  there  was  not  much  danger,  the  vessel  being  so  far 
to  the  windward.  We  seemed  so  close  in  with  the  land,  that  an 
active  man  could  have  jumped  on  shore.  Branches  of  trees  were 
on  each  side  of  us,  and  some  of  the  longest  touched  the  yards  of 
the  schooner,  yet  still  we  went  on,  deeper  and  deeper  into  the 
gloom. 

44  Stand  by  the  main-sheet !  "*  cried  the  mate,  "  and  haul  the 
mainsail  flat  aft,  when  I  give  the  word." 

Half  a  dozen  of  the  men  came  aft  to  perform  the  duty,  wonder- 
ing and  expressing  their  surprise. 

44  Hard  aport  with  the  helm  —  in  with  the  main-sheet,  and  let 
go  the  jib,"  were  the  quick  commands  of  Matthews ;  and  as  he 
issued  the  orders  the  Coquette  suddenly  rounded  a  low  point,  even 
to  the  water's  edge,  on  which  huge  trees  grew  in  abundance,  and 
then  slowly  glided  into  a  dark  basin,  into  which  the  only  light 
admitted  was  by  the  bright  stars  overhead. 

All  was  silent  as  we  moved  in.  There  was  not  even  a  fire  or 
light  on  the  land,  to  show  how  far  we  were  from  it.  All  was 
calm  and  quiet,  and  the  waters  of  the  creek  were  as  smooth  ad  a 
mill  pond. 

44  Eh,"  muttered  one  of  the  men,  as  he  coiled  up  the  main-sheet, 
44  if  this  isn't  as  dark  as  the  devil's  pit,  or  as  if  the  shore  was 
lined  with  niggers  ten  times  blacker  than  coal  tar." 

I  had  a  poor  opinion  of  the  place ;  but  if  it  only  afforded  us 
safe  Vefuge,  I  did  not  care  how  repulsive  it  was  in  appearance. 

44  You  can  let  go  the  anchor  whenever  you  please,"  said  Mat- 


214  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

thews,  who  had  found  his  way  aft,  while  the  schooner  was  slowly 
forging  ahead.  "  We  haven't  got  much  room  to  swing  in,  and 
twenty-five  fathoms  of  cable  will  hold  us  just  as  well  as  a  seventy- 
four's  scope." 

"  Then  drop  the  anchor  at  once,  and  lower  a  boat,"  I  said. 

The  anchor  fell  with  a  sudden  splash  from  the  bows,  a  few 
fathoms  of  the  chain  run  out,  and  the  men  were  about  to  clear 
away  the  falls  of  the  boat,  when  from  the  shore  arose  the  most 
frightful  yells  that  ever  mortal  had  the  unhappiness  of  listening  to. 
For  a  minute  I  was  dumb  with  surprise  and  apprehension,  and 
still  the  yells  continued,  sometimes  approaching  us  and  then  reced- 
ing ;  but  from  all  sides  the  cries  resounded,  and  rather  increased 
than  diminished. 

"  Keep  fast  the  boat !  "  I  shouted  ;  "  clear  away  the  guns,  and 
stand  ready  to  aim  them.  Pass  the  muskets  from  the  store-room, 
and  mind  don't  throw  away  a  shot.  If  we  are  attacked,  we  will 
beat  the  black  rascals  back." 

"  Ah,  'tain't  much  use  fighting  such  as  them,  sir,"  said  an  old 
sailor,  who  was  standing  by  one  of  the  boat  falls. 

"  What  do  you  mean?"  I  asked. 

"  I  mean,  sir,  that  them  'ere  "cries  is  made  by  the  spirits  of 
dead  niggers  what  have  been  stolen  from  the  coast  of  Africa  by 
slavers.  They  is  rejoicing  'cos  our  end  is  near." 

"  You  old  fool,  do  you  believe  such  stuff  as  that.? "  I  asked, 
angrily.  "  The  yells  are  made  by  the  natives  who  think  of  at- 
tacking us.  We  must  beat  them  off,  and  do  it  boldly." 

"No  niggers  ever  made  noises  like  that 'ere,"  said  the  man, 
solemnly.  "If  we  fight,  we  must  fight  spirits  from  the  other 
world." 

"  And  I  suppose  that  you  would  like  different  kind  of  spirits?" 
I  asked. 

"  I  can  take  my  tot  of  grog  with  the  best  of  'em,"  answered 
the  old  man  ;  "  but  I  can't  face  the  devil  unless  very  drunk." 

"  Then  go  below,  and  let  your  shipmates  fight  your  battle. 
We  can  beat  off  the  natives,  and  still  escape  from  the  English- 
man.  Go  below  if  you  don't  want  to  fight." 

"  I  can  fight  human  beings,  sir,  and  even  niggers,  but  I  can't 
fight  spirits." 

"  No  one  asks  you  to.  Keep  out  of  the  way  if  you  are  afraid, 
and  don't  expect  the  honors  we  shall  gain." 


STRANGE   CRIES.  215 

Still  the  fierce  yells  continued,  and  seemed  to  increase  in  vol- 
ume. We  could  hear  them,  even  to  the  water's  edge,  as  though 
all  the  niggers  in  the  universe  were  howling  their  wrath  at  us 
from  the  shores  of  Mud  Creek.  The  slaves  which  we  had  con- 
fined in  the  hold  of  the  schooner  began  to  grow  uneasy  during 
the  excitement,  and  uttered  many  shouts,  as  though  to  warn  us 
that  they  were  disposed  to  add  to  our  trouble. 

44  In  the  name  of  God  and  man,  what  is  it?  "  asked  Matthews, 
with  a  faltering  voice,  as  he  joined  me  on  the  quarter-deck.  I 
cwild  not  see  his  face,  it  was  so  dark,  but  I  had  no  doubt  it 
showed  as  much  fright  as  his  voice. 

44  You  have  been  here  before,  and  should  know,"  I  replied. 

41  So  help  me  God,  cap'n,  I  never  heard  anything  like  that  be- 
fore, and  never  want  to  again.  Niggers  or  devils,  they  can  beat 
anything  in  the  noise  line  I  ever  saw  on  this  coast.  If  we  could 
only  give  'em  a  broadside  of  grape  and  canister,  I  think  it  might 
settle  'em." 

"  And  let  the  Englishman  know  that  we  are  here?"  I  asked. 

44  I  forgot  that,  sir,"  was  the  answer.  u  The  feller  would  hear 
us,  sure  enough.  I  had  better  tell  the  men  to  save  the  guns  until 
the  last  moment,  and  beat  the  devils  off  with  pikes." 

As  no  foe  made  its  appearance,  there  was  no  necessity  for  giv- 
ing such  orders.  But  still  we  waited  and  watched  for  half  an 
hour,  and  at  length  the  sounds  died  away  and  entirely  ceased. 

44  God  be  praised !  we  shan't  be  attacked  to-night,"  the  mate 
said ;  u  the  devils,  or  niggers,  or  whatever  they  are,  have  thought 
better  of  it,  and  we  are  safe.  Let  'em  come  by  daylight  and  I 
don't  care  for 'em,  but  I  don't  like  fighting  with  spirits  in  the  dark. 
Unless  it  be,"  the  mate  added,  after  a  pause,  44  the  spirit  of  Santa 
Cruz  rum,  which  I  can  punish  dreadfully  when  we  come  to  close 
quarters.  I  can  take  a  good  freight  aboard,  and  no  harm  done  on 
either  side." 

It  was  a  strong  hint  for  a  glass  of  grog,  so  I  concluded  to 
humor  the  old  salt,  as  there  was  plenty  of  liquor  on  board  which 
had  belonged  to  Murphy.  I  called  to  the  steward  to  44  splice  the 
main  brace,"  and  the  men  came  rolling  aft,  eager  to  get  a  drink 
of  that  which  empties  their  pockets  witli  wonderful  rapidity  when 
once  on  shore,  after  a  long  cruise. 

44  Now  I  can  take  a  boat  and  twcf  hands,  and  pull  out  to  the 
mouth  of  the  creek,  if  you  want  to  know  the  position  of  the  Eng- 


216  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

lishman,"  the  mate  said,  and  as  I  was  really  eager  to  find  out, 
consented  that  he  should  go. 

The  boat  was  lowered  without  noise,  quietly  pushed  off,  and 
pulled  for  the  mouth  of  the  creek ;  while  the  men,  fatigued  by 
their  day's  labor  and  its  excitements,  laid  down  upon  the  deck, 
and  rested  with  their  pikes  in  their  hands,  so  as  to  be  ready  to 
repel  boarders  in  case  an  attack  was  made.  In  the  meantime  an 
old  sailor  and  myself  alone  paced  the  deck. 


CHAPTER   XI. 

NEWS    OP  THE    FRIGATE.  —  A   NEW   CAUSE    FOR    ALARM.  —  PREP- 
ARATIONS    FOR    AN    ATTACK. THE     MYSTERY     EXPLAINED. 

DON   CHRISTO. 

.  SOMETHING  more  than  a  hour  later  the  sound  of  oars  was 
heard  coming  from  the  direction  of  the  entrance  of  the  creek. 

"  Boat  ahoy  !  "  I  hailed. 

u  Ay,  ay,  —  all  right,*'  was  the  answer,  in  Matthews's  voice. 

The  boat  was  soon  alongside,  and  the  mate  on  deck. 

"  Have  you  seen  the  frigate  ?  "  I  asked,  impatiently. 

"  We  have  been  looking  at  her  for  the  past  hour,"  was  the  an- 
swer. 

"Where  is  she?" 

"  Opposite  the  entrance  of  the  creek,"  was  the  reply. 

"  Then  those  on  board  know  that  we  are  here  ?  " 

"  I  think  not,  sir,"  replied  Matthews.  *'  The  ship  is  becalmed, 
for  there  is  not  a  breath  of  air  outside,  and  since  we  have  been 
on  the  watch  she  has  not  moved  a  cable's  length  ahead.  I  think 
they  imagine  we  carried  the  breeze  with  us,  and  escaped.  At 
any  rate,  daylight  will  tell  the  story.  If  the  captain  thinks  we 
are  here,  he  will  send  his  boats  in  arter  us,  and  a  lively  time  we 
shall  have  of  it  for  an  hour  or  two." 

"  Then  the  boat  must  return  to  the  mouth  of  the  creek,  and  re- 
main there  till  the  frigate  Either  hoists  out  her  boats,  or  gets  a 
breeze.  We  shall  be  safe  till  daylight,  at  any  rate." 


GRACIA   ASLEEP.  217 

"  We  might  send  Martin  for  one  hand  in  the  boat,  and  Pedro 
for  the  other,"  the  mate  said.  "Pedro  will  keep  awake,  or  Fin 
much  mistaken  ;  for  he  has  done  some  things  which  would  not 
sound  well  on  board  of  an  English  man-of-war.  Martin  is  too 
much  afraid  of  the  devil  to  shut  his  eyes,  and  between  them  both 
they  will  do  very  well." 

I  was  of  the  same  opinion,  so  I  sent  the  Spaniard  and  the 
Englishman  off  in  the  boat,  with  orders  to  keep  under  the  shadow 
of  the  trees,  and  let  us  know  the  first  movement  that  took  place 
onboard  of  the  Englishman.  Then,  feeling  tired  with  my  day's  and 
night's  work,  I  left  Matthews  in  charge  of  the  deck,  while  I  went 
below  to  console  Gracia  for  my  lengthy  absence. 

The  lady  was  sleeping  soundly  upon  the  lounge  when  I  entered 
the  cabin.  She  looked  so  handsome  that  I  stood  for  a  few 
minutes  admiring  her,  and  then,  thinking  it  would  be  cruel  to 
disturb  her  slumbers,  concluded  not  to  awaken  her.  I  laid 
down  upon  the  transom,  and  before  I  knew  it  I  was  sound 
asleep ;  and  continued  to  sleep  until  I  felt  a  hand  placed  upon 
my  shoulder,  when  I  started  up,  and  found  that  it  was  Matthews 
who  had  awakened  me. 

"  What  is  the  matter?  "  I  asked,  in  a-low  tone,  so  that  Gracia 
should  not  be  disturbed. 

"  It  is  nearly  daylight,  sir,"  he  said ;  "  and  from  what  I  can 
hear,  I  should  think  that  the  niggers  was  about  to  make  us  a 
visit  from  the  shore.  I  can  hear  'em  move  on  the  beach  and 
can  hear  'em  talk,  but  I  can't  make  out  what  they  is  saying  or 
doing." 

"  I  will  come  on  deck  immediately,"  I  replied  ;  and  Matthews 
left  the  cabin  on  tiptoe. 

I  got  up,  armed  myself  with  a  brace  of  revolvers  and  a  cut- 
lass, and  was  about  to  pass  on  deck,  when  I  heard  Gracia  mut- 
tering some  words  in  her  sleep.  I  stopped  and  listened. 

,u  O,  my  padre,"  she  said,  "  you  must  love  Robert  for  my  sake. 
He  loves  me  and  saved  my  life,  and  without  him  I  do  not  wish  to 
live." 

The  dear  girl !  how  I  loved  her  for  those  words  spoken  so  un- 
consciously. I  bent  down  and  touched  her  lips,  and  then,  fearful 
that  her  beauty  would  detain  me  from  duty,  hastened  on  deck. 

"  The  black  rascals  is  moving,  sir,  pretty  lively,"  said  Mat- 
thews, when  I  joined  him  on  the  quarter-deck.  "  They  have 


218  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

been  jabbering  for  half  an  hour  or  more,  and  have  been  breaking 
off  branches  of  trees  ;  and  once  in  a  while  I  guess  they  have  got 
up  fights  among  themselves,  for  I  hear  'em  squawking  awfully." 

There  was  no  appearance  of  their  being  about  to  embark  in 
their  canoes,  and  I  could  only  imagine  that  they  were  getting 
ready  to  attack  us  as  soon  as  daylight  appeared.  If  they  did  at- 
tack us  we  were  not  in  good  condition  to  show  much  fight,  ex- 
cept with  boarding  pikes  and  cutlasses ;  for  if  we  used  our 
guns  the  attention  of  the  crew  of  the  frigate  would  be  attracted  by 
the  noise,  and  an  expedition  fitted  out  to  find  us.  The  men  were 
all  stationed,  and  instructed  not  to  use  fire-arms,  only  as  a  final 
resort,  to  save  the  schooner  from  being  carried  by  boarding.  I 
also  caused  thirty-two  pound  shot  to  be  placed  along  the  bulwarks 
and  near  the  taffrail  for  the  purpose  of  staving  the  canoes,  and 
thus  consigning  their  contents  to  the  alligators  of  the  creek,  which 
Matthews  informed  me  abounded  there,  and  were  not  partial  in 
their  eating. 

By  the  time  we  completed  our  preparations  for  defence,  — 
not  forgetting  our  boarding  net,  which  was  triced  up  fore  and  aft, 
and  would  puzzle  the  negroes  considerably  when  they  butted 
their  heads  against  it,  — r-  the  mists  were  rapidly  rising  from  the 
water,  and  the  light  began  to  increase  fast.  Still  we  could  hear 
the  natives  on  shore  continue  their  preparations  for  attack ;  but 
we  could  not  understand  why  they  should  make  so  much  noise 
about  the  matter,  unless  satisfied  that  concealment  was  useless, 
and  that  we  were  certain  to  be  overpowered  by  superior  numbers, 
—  a  reflection  that  was  not  at  all  comfortable.  ^ 

But  while  I  was  watching  for  the  mists  to  clear  away,  a  new 
trouble  arose.  The  slaves  which  were  confined  in  the  hold,  and 
had  not  been  fed  or  cared  for  since  the  morning  they  were  shipped, 
now  began  to  show  evidence  of  hunger  and  thirst  by  uttering  fear- 
ful howls,  like  those  of  wild  beasts.  These  cries,  if  heard  on 
shore,  would  only  excite  the  natives  of  Mud  Creek  to  desperation  ; 
as  they  would  then  be  aware  that  we  were  loaded  with  ne- 
groes, and  if  captured  could  be  sold  to  the  next  trader  that  hap- 
pened  along,  and  quite  a  profitable  bargain  would  be  the  result. 
Haifa  dozen  of  the  men  threw  off  the  gratings  which  were  over 
the  hatches,  and  sprang  down  in  the  midst  of  the  wretches, 
whips  in  hand.  It  was  the  usual  manner  of  quieting  those  who 
were  disposed  to  be  refractory.  Blow  followed  blow  in  quirk 


MISERABLE    IMPOSTORS.  219 

succession,  until  at  length  only  groans  and  stifled  sobs  were  heard. 
This  was  more  than  I  could  stand,  so  I  moved  aft  and  got  out 
of  the  hearing  of  such  doleful  sounds.  As  soon  as  the  slaves 
were  quiet,  however,  and  to  keep  them  still,  their  breakfast  was 
served  out  to  them,  with  a  pint  of  fresh  water  to  wash  it  down- 
O,  how  the  poor  wretches  begged  for  more !  but  a  pint  was  the 
allowance,  and  if  they  died  they  could  receive  no  more.  This 
morning  they  ate  their  rice  and  drank  their  water  in  the  hold, 
ten  being  released  at  one  time  for  that  purpose.  Even  the  pure 
air  of  heaven  was  denied  them  that  day. 

Suddenly  the  sun  shot  out  from  behind  some  dark  clouds,  and 
began  to  dry  up  the  vapors  which  were  arising  from  the  creek 
and  land.  Then  we  began  to  catch  a  glimpse  of  the  natives,  and 
it  seemed  as  though  there  were  thousands  of  them.  Even  the 
trees  were  alive  with  the  black  rascals,  and  I  could  not  help  ad- 
miring the  agility  with  which  they  leaped  from  branch  to  branch, 
with  a  recklessness  that  was  astonishing.  Suddenly  Matthews 
uttered  a  hoarse  laugh,  and  clapped  his  hands  —  actions  which  were 
answered  with  corresponding  yells  on  the  part  of  the  natives. 

"  What  is  the  matter?"  I  asked. 

"  Why,  the  miserable  impostors,"  the  mate  said,  with  another 
laugh,  "  them  'ere  ain't  niggers." 

"  Why,  what  are  they,  then  ?  "  , 

"  Why,  howrang  howtangs,  sir,  and  a  devil  of  a  lot  of  'em 
there  is." 

It  was  true  —  the  shores  were  lined  with  huge  orang-outangs, 
and  their  cries  had  alarmed  us  during  the  night,  and  made  us 
anticipate  a  fight.  When  we  dropped  anchor,  the  noise  had 
awakened  them  from  their  slumbers,  and  they  had  responded 
with  yells. 

At  eight  bells  I  signalized  for  the  .boat  to  come  alongside,  and 
report  the  position  of  the  frigate.  Martin  said  she  had  drifted 
some  two  miles  since  daylight,  but  there  was  not  a  breath  of 
air  stirring  upon  the  ocean,  and  no  appearance  of  any.  The 
frigate,  however,  was  so  far  from  the  entrance  to  the  harbor,  that 
it  was  considered  quite  safe  to  use  fire-arms,  in  case  we  should 
have  occasion  to  resort  to  them.  This  information  I  was  thank- 
ful for,  as  many  ducks  were  constantly  alighting  in  the  harbor, 
and  I  wanted  a  few.  Not  desiring  to  be  taken  unawares, 
I  let  the  men  get  their  breakfast,  and  then  sent  them  back  to  the 


220  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

entrance  of  the  harbor,  to  keep  watch  upon  our  foes,  and  see  that 
they  did  not  send  an  expedition  of  boats  in  search  of  us. 

As  soon  as  we  finished  breakfast  I  went  on  deck,  and  was  sur- 
prised that  the  orang-outangs  still  maintained  their  positions, 
and  showed  no  signs  of  moving.  What  was  still  more  astonish- 
ing, not  a  native  had  shown  himself  for  trade,  and  I  could 
not  account  for  it.  I  ordered  the  boat  to  be  lowered,  and  thought 
that  I  would  proceed  on  an  exploring  expedition  up  the  river,  at 
least  as  far  as  the  village  ;  but  while  I  was  getting  my  rifle  and 
revolver  in  good  condition  for  the  rather  hazardous  trip,  a  canoe 
with  one  person  in  it  hove  in  sight,  coming  round  the  point  of 
land  where  the  current  of  the  river  makes  a  bend  before  its  en- 
trance into  the  creek. 

The  stranger  wore  a  straw  hat  and  a  calico  shirt,  and  his  face 
was  dark  and  covered  with  a  heavy  beard,  so  that  I  knew  at 
once  that  he  was  not  a  negro.  He  seemed  uncertain  what  to  do, 
and  evidently  was  a  little  fearful  of  us.  I  could  see  that  he 
wanted  to  board  the  schooner ;  for  he  would  make  a  dip  Avith  his 
paddle  and  head  the  canoe  towards  us,  then  would  alter  his  mind 
and  steer  in  towards  the  shore,  and  appear  inclined  to  turn  back. 
At  length  I  tired  of  such  backing  and  pulling,  and  beckoned 
the  stranger  to  come  on  board,  an  invitation  which  he  obeyed  after 
a  moment's  hesitation. 

The  crew  crowded  to  the  rail  to  see  our  visitor.  He  was  a 
man  about  forty-five  years  of  age,  and,  from  his  dark  restless  eyes 
and  swarthy  complexion,  I  judged  him  to  be  a  Portuguese  or 
Spaniard ;  many  people  of  both  nations  being  engaged  in  the 
slave  trade  on  the  coast,  and  had  been  since  the  opening  of  the 
business  by  our  English  cousins,  many  years  since.  He  left  his 
canoe  and  came  on  board,  touching  his  hat  with  a  polite  bow  to 
Mr.  Matthews  as  he  passed  over  the  rail.  As  he  walked  aft  I 
saw  his  black  eyes  fixed  upon  Gracia,  with  astonishment  and  won- 
der at  her  rare  beauty. 

"  Senor,"  he  asked,  "  do  you  speak  Spanish?" 

I  answered  in  that  language  that  I  did ;  and  I  was  so  well 
acquainted  with  the  tongue  I  instantly  discovered  that  our  visi- 
tor was  a  Portuguese,  and  not  a  Spaniard,  as  he  wanted  me  to 
think. 

"  Did  you  come  for  a  cargo?"  he  asked. 

I  told  him  that  our  cargo  was  already  on  board. 


DON   CHRISTO.  221 

"May  I  ask  why  you  came  here?"  the  Portuguese  said, 
whose  name,  he  told  me  with  an  air  of  dignity,  was  Don  Christo. 

I  did  not  consider  that  it  would  be  prudent  for  me  to  say  that 
we  were  chased  in  by  an  English  frigate,  for  I  did  not  entertain 
a  very  favorable  opinion  of  Don  Christo,  and  he  looked  to  me 
like  a  man  that  would  not  scruple  to  sell  us  for  a  fair  sum  of 
money.  I  did  not  know  but  that  a  signal  could  be  made  from  the 
land  giving  information  of  our  whereabouts. 

"  We  put  in  for  water,"  I  said,  carelessly.  "  We  have  been 
becalmed  for  a  week,  and  I  am  fearful  that  we  shall  get  short 
before  we  reach  Havana.  The  water  is  good  up  the  river  —  is  it 
not?" 

"  None  better,  senor.  A  mile  from  this  place  it  is  clear  and 
sweet.  If  you  don't  care  about  exposing  your  men,  I  can  send 
you  a  canoe  load  towards  night." 

"  For  a  consideration,"  I  said. 

"  Certainly,  seuor." 

"  Then  send  it  along." 

The  Portuguese  looked  gratified.  I  thought  it  was  on  account 
of  the  patronage  he  was  to  receive. 

"  You  are  well  armed  for  a  slaver,"  he  said  at  length,  casting 
his  eyes  over  the  deck,  and  looking  at  the  men  and  guns. 

"  It  is  necessary,  if  a  successful  trip  is  to  be  made." 

"And  your  men?"  he  asked. 

44  Know  how  to  handle  the  guns,"  I  answered. 

He  said  no  more  on  this  point,  but  I  saw  that  his  eyes  were 
busy  during  the  remainder  of  his  stay  on  board  ;  and  I  thought  at 
the.time,  such  was  my  pride  in  the  Coquette,  that  he  was  admir- 
ing the  schooner  as  she  deserved  to  be. 

Don  Christo  told  me  he  had  been  on  the  coast  for  twenty- 
five  years,  and  during  that  time  had  helped  ship  some  hundreds 
of  cargoes.  I  hinted  that  he  must  be  very  rich  if  such  was  the 
case  ;  but  he  said,  with  a  laugh,  that  he  squandered  as  he  went 
along,  and  that  his  liberality  had  ruined  him ;  which,  if  such  was 
the  case,  his  heart  belied  his  face  most  shockingly.  But  I 
pretended  to  believe  his  yarns,  and  managed  to  treat  him 
civilly. 

"  By  the  way,"  I  asked,  "  how  happens  it  that  you  are  the  only 
person  we  have  seen  since  we  dropped  anchor  here  ?  " 

"  It  is  all  owing  to  those  infernal  brutes,"  he  answered,  point- 


222  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

ing  to  the  orang-outangs,  which  seemed  to  be  dozing  at  the 
time." 

"  Explain,"  I  said. 

"  Once  a  year  the  brutes  come  to  the  creek  in  troops  for  the 
purpose  of  getting  a  taste  of  salt  water,  which  they  seem  to  de- 
sire annually,  but  not  oftener.  At  such  times  they  are  danger- 
ous to  meet,  and  would  no  more  think  of  strangling  a  dozen 
niggers  than  you  would  in  selling  them  for  a  handsome  price. 
The  animals  are  powerful  and  cunning,  and  are  only  afraid 
of  fire-arms.  Sticks  and  clubs  they  care  nothing  about,  but 
discharge  a  musket  at  them,  and  they  will  retreat.  Most  al- 
ways the  natives  leave  the  river  when  the  brutes  arrive,  and  let 
them  have  undisputed  sway.  They  only  stop  about  forty-eight 
hours,  and  that  is  the  last  we  see  of  them,  unless  we  penetrate 
the  back  country,  until  the  next  year." 

"  Are  the  natives  of  the  river  treacherous  ?  "  I  asked,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  seeing  how  his  account  would  tally  with  Matthews's  story. 

The  visitor  seemed  astonished  at  the  question. 

"  I  have  lived  here  on  the  river  for  ten  years,"  he  said,  "  and 
I  assure  you  on  the  word  of  a  Spanish  cavalier  that  I  never  saw 
anything  to  justify  such  a  charge.  They  are  brave  and  warlike  ; 
but  they  meet  their  enemies  and  friends  with  bold  fronts,  and  do 
not  resort  to  treachery  to  accomplish  their  designs.  O,  no  ;  the 
natives  of  the  river  are  the  true  Pangwees  of  Africa." 

The  man  spoke  so  sincerely  I  was  almost  inclined  to  be- 
lieve him ;  and  I  think  that  I  should  have  done  so  if  it  had  not 
been  for  his  eyes,  which  were  so  restless  and  impatient,  never  for 
a  moment  meeting  my  glance  with  one  of  confidence.  I  also 
noticed  that  Matthews  hovered  as  near  us  as  he  could  without 
committing  a  breach  of  etiquette.  He  seemed  desirous  of  saying 
somethiug  to  me ;  but  I  supposed  it  related  to  ship's  duty,  and 
did  not  pay  much  attention  to  him. 

"  I  am  glad  I  used  my  canoe  this  morning,  since  it  has  en- 
abled me  to  make  your  acquaintance,  and  render  you  some  as- 
sistance," Don  Christo  said,  with  an  effort  to  appear  frank.  "  I 
thought  I  would  paddle  down  and  see  if  the  orang-outangs  had 
taken  their  departure,  so  that  the  natives  could  come  back.  I  sup- 
pose that  they  would  have  done  so,  had  they  not  been  attracted 
by  the  mysteries  of  your  schooner.  It  is  not  often  that  they  get 
sight  of  a  vessel,  and  we  cannot  wonder  at  their  astonishment." 


MY  VISITOR.  223 

"  Will  you  enter  the  cabin  and  take  a  drink?  "  I  asked.  "  Per- 
haps you  are  thirsty  after  your  long  paddle." 

"  Well,  to  tell  the  truth,  I  am  somewhat  dry ;  and  as  for  a 
glass  of  liquor,  I  have  not  seen  one  for  six  months." 

We  left  Gracia  on  deck,  and  entered  the  cabin.  Just  as  we 
were  descending  the  companion-way,  Matthews  made  a  sign  that 
he  wanted  to  speak  to  me ;  but  I  shook  my  head,  and  the  mate 
fell  back.  The  steward  placed  bottle  and  glasses  on  the  table, 
and  the  stranger  poured  out  a  stiff  one,  that  would  have  done  no 
discredit  to  the  mate. 

"  Your  health  and  prosperity,"  he  said  ;  and  in  an  instant  the 
liquor  had  vanished  from  sight. 

I  pushed  the  bottle  towards  the  man,  and  he  took  another  pull 
at  it  that  would  have  floated  a  jolly  boat. 

"Have  you  ever  visited  this  place  before?"  Don  Christo 
asked. 

44  Never." 

"  I  suppose  that  some  one  of  your  crew  has?  "  he  continued, 
carelessly. 

I  was  on  the  point  of  saying  "  yes,"  but  thought  "  no  "  would 
answer,  and  uttered  the  monosyllable. 

He  looked  a  little  astonished,  but  was  forced  to  believe  me.  I 
read  in  the  man's  flashing  black  eyes  that  he  was  pumping  me, 
but  for  what  object  I  could  not  divine.  I  watched  his  motions 
narrowly,  although  pretended  not  to.  I  hoped  I  might  discover 
why  he  had  visited  us. 

u  Pray,  senor  capitan,"  the  visitor  asked,  "  how  did  you  find 
your  way  here?  The  harbor  is  not  down  on  the  charts,  and  ves- 
sels only  visit  us  when  hard  pressed  by  a  cruiser." 

"  O,  I  was  told  that  there  was  such  a  place  by  a  captain  who 
has  been  here  two  or  three  times.  At  least  he  said  so.  You 
know  him,  perhaps.  Captain  Switchell,  of  the  brig  Albiou  — 
man  with  a  red  nose  and  gray  hair.  He  has  run  three  cargoes 
to  Cuba  within  eighteen  months.  Fine  man,  and  a  good  sailor ; 
fights  like  the  devil  when  cornered." 

"  I  have  heard  of  him,"  the  Portuguese  replied,  after  a  moment's 
thought. 

I  knew  that  he  must  have  some  knowledge  of  the  man  I  de- 
scribed, as  I  had  only  heard  of  him  as  a  successful  slaver,  who 
had  long  been  on  the  coast. 


224  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

"  If  he  was  ever  here,  it  must  have  been  while  I  was  in  the  in- 
terior of  the  country,"  Don  Christo  said,  after  a  while,  during 
which  he  remained  in  deep  thought. 

"  You  don't  drink,"  I  cried,  motioning  towards  the  bottle. 

He  started,  and  filled  his  tumbler. 

**  Did  Captain  Switchell  allude  to  this  place  in  any  partic- 
ular manner?"  my  visitor  asked,  with  his  eyes  fixed  on  his 
tumbler. 

"  He  merely  said  that  fresh  provisions  and  good  water  were  to 
be  obtained  here,"  I  replied. 

u  That  is  true,"  he  answered,  with  a  sigh  of  relief.  "  But  I 
see  that  you  have  plenty  of  fresh  grub." 

"  But  we  can  take  care  of  a  canoe  load  in  addition.  My  men 
are  good  eaters." 

'*  And  good  fighters,  I  suppose?  " 

The  Portuguese  spoke  quick,  and  looked  me  hard  in  the  face  as 
he  put  the  question. 

"  You  can  bet  on  that,"  I  replied,  proud  of  the  bulldog-like 
qualities  of  my  men. 

44 1  thought  they  looked  as  though  capable  of  giving  and  re- 
ceiving some  heavy  blows.  There's  twenty  of  them,  I  think." 

"  Twenty-five,  all  told,"  I  answered. 

"  Ah." 

This  was  all  the  visitor  said,  but  to  me  it  seemed  significant. 

"  Come,  finish  your  grog,  and  then  let  us  go  and  have  a  crack 
at  the  orang-outangs.  I  have  promised  my  wife  one." 

44  Agreed ;  and  I  will  take  you  in  my  canoe,"  Don  Christo 
said. 

"  Why  in  your  canoe?  " 

"  Because  we  can  approach  the  shore  nearer  without  frighten- 
ing the  animals,"  was  the  answer. 

For  a  moment  I  was  inclined  to  go  with  him  ;  but  I  recollected 
that  Gracia  had  said  she  wished  me  to  take  her  in  the  boat  when 
I  went  to  shoot  one,  and  on  that  account  I  declined  the  offer. 
The  Portuguese  looked  disappointed  for  one  moment,  and  then 
his  face  was  as  frank  appearing  as  it  was  possible  for  a  face  like 
his  to  assume. 

We  went  on  deck,  where  we  found  Gracia  still  watching  the 
gambols  of  the  animals,  and  laughing  most  heartily,  in  her  girl- 
ish innocence,  at  some  of  their  freaks.  The  eyes  of  the  Portn- 


A   SHORT   EXCURSION.  225 

gnese  seemed  like  -coals  of  fire  as  he  regarded  her  wonderful 
beauty. 

"  O,  captain,"  my  visitor  said,  "your  wife  is  handsome  enough 
for  a  queen." 

"  She  is  handsome  enough  for  me,"  I  replied,  rather  tartly, 
for  I  did  no  relish  his  admiration. 

I  ordered  the  second  quarter  boat  to  be  lowered,  and  the  awn- 
ing placed  over  the  stern-sheets,  for  the  purpose  of  shielding 
us  from  the  sun.  By  these  preparations  Gracia  knew  that  she 
was  to  have  a  row,  and  clapped  her  hands  at  the  idea. 

'*  The  boat  is  ready,  sir,"  Matthews  said  ;  and  then  whispered, 
"  I  would  like  to  see  you  for  a  moment  before  you  leave  the 
vessel." 

"  Anything  of  importance?  "  I  asked,  carelessly. 

"  No,  sir;  not  that  I  knows  of,"  Matthews  replied,  blundering 
in  nis  speech  in  such  a  manner  that  I  looked  up  from  examining 
my  rifle  in  astonishment. 

I  saw  that  Don  Christo  had  unceremoniously  thrust  his  head 
in  between  us  while  the  mate  was  speaking,  and  such  a  cool  act 
of  impudence  had  disconcerted  the  old  salt  most  materially. 
Christo  seemed  anxious  that  Matthews  and  I  should  not  ex- 
change a  word  together  while  he  was  on  board.  I  considered 
it  barely  possible  that  the  Portuguese  might  remember  the  face 
of  my  mate,  and  fear  his  giving  some  information.  I  thought 
that,  without  distrusting  human  nature  greatly,  I  understood  the 
character  of  my  visitor. 

"  Come,  Gracia,"  I  said,  "  the  boat  is  waiting  for  us." 

She  skipped  towards  nie,  and  I  passed  her  over  the  side  as 
carefully  as  though  she  was  a  casket  of  jewels. 

"  Come,  Don  Christo,"  I  said,  "  we  want  your  company  also." 

"  O,  pardon  me,  senor ;  but  I  will  remain  on  board,  for  in  a 
minute  I  must  start  up  the  river." 

This  did  not  suit  me.  I  did  not  care  that  he  shquld  vagabon- 
dize over  the  vessel,  and  talk  with  the  crew. 

"  Your  company  is  too  pleasant  to  lose.  Come,  Don  Christo, 
you  will  not  slight  the  society  of  a  lady." 

He  could  not  refuse  any  longer.  He  passed  over  the  rail,  and 
took  his  place  in  the  boat.  I  was  about  to  follow  him,  when 
Matthews  placed  his  hand  upon  my  shoulder,  and  whispered,  — 
15 


226  A  SLAVER'S  ADYENTURES. 

"  Cap'n,  he's  a  blasted  rascal." 

"  O,  is  he?  "  I  asked,  with  a  smile,  and  without  another  word 
took  my  seat  in  the  boat  by  the  side  of  Gracia. 

The  boat  was  pushed  off,  and  we  rowed  slowly  towards  the 
nearest  land,  where  the  orang-outangs  were  collected  in  large 
numbers.  The  brutes  appeared  greatly  interested  in  our  appear- 
ance, and  chattered  and  grinned  most  hideously.  A  dozen 
of  the  eldest  advanced  apparently  to  meet  us  ;  and  one  old  fel- 
low, whose  head  was  perfectly  white  with  age,  even  waded 
in  the  water  for  a  few  inches,  as  though  to  be  the  first  to 
offer  us  a  welcome.  We  attracted  so  much  of  his  attention 
he  did  not  see  a  dark  head  that  suddenly  made  its  appear- 
ance above  the  water,  and,  after  a  brief  survey  of  things,  disap- 
peared. 

"  Lay  on  your  oars,"  I  said  to  the  men.  "  We  shall  soon  ^it- 
ness  a  little  fun."  . 

The  men  did  not  understand  what  I  meant.  They  looked  as 
though  they  would  like  to  see  some. 

The  black  head,  which  had  disappeared  so  quietly  beneath  the 
water,  did  not  remain  concealed  long.  Suddenly,  while  the  ani- 
mals were  yelling  and  daring  us  to  land,  there  was  a  slight  ripple 
at  the  feet  of  the  veteran  orang-outang.  Then  there  was  a  plunge, 
and  the  water  was  lashed  into  foam  ;  but  amidst  it  I  could  see 
the  ape,  with  his  long  sinewy  arms,  tearing  at  the  scales  and 
fins  of  an  alligator,  which  was  craunching  one  of  his  feet,  and 
endeavoring  to  drag  him  to  a  deep  place. 

Gracia,  with  a  secret  thought  that  the  whole  thing  was  got  up 
for  her  especial  benefit,  clapped  her  hands  with  glee,  and  did  not 
miss  a  single  struggle.  She  was  a  true  Spaniard,  and  although 
her  heart  was  as  gentle  as  a  dove's,  yet  she  was  partial  to  bull- 
fights and  kindred  excitements. 

When  the  struggle  between  the  alligator  and  the  orang-outang 
commenced,  the  companions  of  the  latter  remained  silent  for  a 
moment,  as  though  too  astonished  to  utter  a  yell.  But  when  they 
saw  the  fight,  and  heard  the  shrill  screams  of  their  companion, 
they  uttered  yell  after  yell  of  savage  hatred,  and  in  their  fury  tore 
off  branches  —  large  branches,  too  —  of  the  trees,  and  hurled 
them  towards  the  scene  of  the  combat  with  a  force  that  showed 
most  conclusively  their  terrible  strength  and  power. 


A   TERRIBLE    STRUGGLE.  227 

But  the  scaly  monster  did  not  quit  his  terrible  grasp.  He 
struggled  to  gain  deep  water  where  he  could  have  his  adversary 
more  in  his  power,  and  the  orang-outang  labored  as  hard  to  drag 
the  alligator  to  the  shore,  and  in  this  some  of  his  companions 
sought  to  assist  him ;  but  their  dread  of  water  prevented  them 
from  taking  an  active  part.  Inch  by  inch,  the  alligator  pulled 
his  victim  towards  deep  places,  and  at  length,  with  a  sudden 
plunge,  they  rolled  from  the  shelving-bank,  and  disappeared  where 
the  water  was  two  fathoms  deep,  and  only  a  few  bubbles  marked 
the  spot  where  the  enemies  had  sunk. 

For  a  few  minutes  we  sat  in  the  boat  without  exchanging  a 
word,  after  witnessing  the  contest.  Even  Gracia  seemed  slightly 
shocked  at  the  end  of  the  brute,  and  I  feared  every  moment  that 
she  would  issue  an  order,  commanding  me  to  avenge  its  death  by 
shooting  the  first  alligator  I  should  meet.  But  for  a  wonder  she 
was  silent  and  thoughtful. 

Suddenly  there  was  a  commotion  on  shore,  and  we  could  see 
young  orang-outangs  hurry  off  in  different  directions,  keeping 
close  to  the  edge  of  the  water. 

"  Now,"  said  the  Portuguese,  "  the  apes  are  resolved  to  have 
revenge,  and  you  will  notice  how  deliberate  and  determined  they 
will  proceed  to  execute  their  plans." 

"  But  I  observe  that  many  of  them  are  stripping  branches  from 
the  trees,  and  making  quite  convenient  clubs,"  I  remarked. 

"  Yes,  and  they  know  how  to  use  them,  as  you  will  find.  A 
dozen  orang-outangs,  armed  with  clubs,  can  clear  a  village  of  its 
inhabitants.  They  possess  the  strength  of  two  men,  and  fear 
nothing  but  fire-arms." 

"  But  what  are  they  in  search  of?  "  Gracia  asked,  pointing  to 
the  apes  which  were  running  along  the  shore,  towards  the  point 
which  formed  the  entrance  to  the  river. 

"  In  search  of  an  alligator,"  replied  the  Portuguese. 

I  could  not  help  smiling. 

"  It  is  true,  senor,"  Don  Christo  said,  with  some  earnestness. 
"  They  will  find  an  alligator  basking  in  the  sun,  and  they  will 
kill  him." 

44  O,  I  should  so  like  to  see  that !  "  Gracia  exclaimed. 

"  Nothrng  can  be  easier,  senorita.  As  soon  as  they  find  what 
they  seek,  information  will  be  sent  to  the  older  members  of  the 


228  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

tribe,  and  they  take  command  and  move  towards  the  enemy  to  be 
attacked.  We  can  row  towards  the  point,  and  witness  everything 
from  the  boat." 

I  must  confess  that  my  curiosity  was  excited,  and  I  was  anx- 
ious to  witness  the  proceedings  of  the  animals.  If  they  performed 
feats,  such  as  the  Portuguese  related,  their  instincts  would  look  very 
much  like  human  reasoning,  much  as  we  might  deny  it.  Sud- 
denly we  saw  three  or  four  young  orang-outangs  run  with  re- 
markable swiftness  from  the  mouth  of  the  river,  towards  the  main 
body  of  the  animals.  The  scouts  which  carried  the  information, 
that  they  had  discovered  an  alligator,  were  received  with  dignified 
silence  by  a  council.  They  imparted  the  news  with  violent 
gestures,  and  such  gnashing  of  teeth,  as  excited  men  often  resort 
to  to  express  their  rage.  They  pointed  in  the  direction  of  the 
river,  and  by  signs  which  even  we  could  understand,  intimated 
that  the  alligator  which  they  had  found  was  sleeping  soundly, 
and  could  be  attacked  at  a  great  disadvantage. 

We  could  see  the  gray  heads  deliberate  for  a  few  minutes, 
after  this  information,  and  set  out  upon  the  expedition  which  was 
to  avenge  their  honor.  The  members  of  the  council  were  pre- 
ceded by  the  scouts,  which  led  the  way,  and  after  the  council  fol- 
lowed the  whole  colony,  each  one  of  the  male  portion  being  armed 
with  a  huge  club,  which  looked  as  though  it  would  trouble  even 
a  strong  man  to  swing  with  effect. 

"  Now,  if  it  please  you  to  follow  along  the  shore  in  the  boat, 
we  shall  witness  the  fun,"  said  Don  Christo. 

The  animals  presented  a  most  formidable  appearance  as  they 
marched  along  in  silence,  armed  with  their  huge  clubs,  which  they 
carried  on  their  shoulders,  nearly  as  a  soldier  would  carry  a  mus- 
ket. There  seemed  to  be  something  of  a  military  character  in 
their  march,  also  ;  for  I  noticed  that  the  females  and  young  ones 
brought  up  the  rear,  and  to  keep  the  tongues  of  the  gentle  sex  in 
order,  a  dozen  or  twenty  of  the  warriors  of  the  troop  marched  close 
at  hand,  and  exhibited  spite  when  a  young  one  squeaked,  or  a  fe- 
male chattered.  In  this  respect  they  closely  resembled  the  people 
of  civilized  countries,  who  are  unhappy  when  they  have  no  wife  or 
child  to  provide  for.  and  are  miserable  when  they  do  have,  being 
determined  not  to  be  suited  at  any  rate. 

"Ah,"  murmured  Gracia,  "  if  they  would  only  fight  amongst 
themselves,  what  happiness  it  would  be  to  see  them." 


A   LITTLE   MORE    FUN.  229 

Ladies  must  recollect  that  she  was  born  and  educated  in 
Cuba,  where  cock-fights,  bull-fights,  and  such  amusements,  are 
looked  upon  by  the  elite  of  the  island,  as  sports  suitable  for  the 
edification  of  the  most  refined.  She  felt  interested  in  such  rough 
amusement,  and  did  not  think  it  was  wrong  to  conceal  it. 

The  orang-outangs  refused  to  quarrel  among  themselves  for  her 
edification,  and  continued  their  march,  silent  but  formidable,  for 
the  point  of  land  where  the  alligator  was  basking  in  the  sunshine, 
little  thinking  of  the  rough  handling  which  he  was  to  receive  in 
return  for  the  hearty  breakfast  which  one  of  his  companions  had 
made  an  hour  ago. 

"  Look  !  "  cried  Gracia,  "  the  animals  have  stopped,  and  ap- 
pear to  be  consulting  together." 

Our  boat  was  exactly  opposite  the  spot,  and  close  in  shore. 
We  could  almost  see  the  orang-outangs  wink,  so  near  were  we, 
yet  they  paid  us  not  the  slightest  attention.  Their  whole  thoughts 
were  centred  on  the  enemy  of  their  tribe  We  could  hear  the 
old  gray  beards  chatter,  and  see  them  point  in  various  directions ; 
and  as  they  indicated  what  to  do,  a  dozen  would  obey  the  orders 
without  so  much  as  a  murmur,  which  I  thought  a  very  good 
lesson  for  humanity,  and  one  deserving  of  remembrance. 

"  Now,"  said  Don  Christo,  settling  himself  comfortably,  and 
fanning  his  face  with  his  Panama  hat  —  for  there  was  not  a  breath 
of  air  stirring,  and  the  beat  began  to  grow  intense  as  the  sun 
climbed  the  sky.  "  Now,"  he  repeated,  "  we  shall  see  some  fun, 
for  the  arrangements  are  all  made.  The  retreat  of  the  alligator 
is  cut  off.  He  cannot  escape  to  the  woods  and  the  marsh,  for  a 
strong  guard  watch  him  in  that  direction.  He  is  hemmed  in  on 
all  sides,  and  soon  the  signal  for  the  fight  will  be  given." 

"  The  sooner  the  better,"  cried  thoughtless  Gracia,  clapping 
her  hands  ;  and  as  though  that  was  the  signal  agreed  upon,  a 
shrill  yell,  like  the  cry  of  a  woman  in  distress,  was  uttered  by 
one  old  fellow,  who  was  ugly  enough  to  be  the  grandfather  of  his 
Satanic  majesty. 

The  yell  was  repeated  fifty  times  by  the  males,  and  then  the 
females,  as  though  they  wanted  to  have  their  full  share  of  noise, 
confusion,  and  use  of  tongue,  re-echoed  the  cries  until  the  children 
took  them  up,  when,  like  civilized  society,  the  females  boxed  the 
young  ones'  ears,  and  bit  those  who  protested  against  such  usage. 

All  this  delighted  Gracia  very  much,  and  she  laughed  until  the 


230  A  SLATER'S  ADVENTURES. 

tears  ran  from  her  dark  eyes,  and  glistened  on  her  cheeks  like 
pearls  exposed  to  the  rays  of  the  son.  I  laaghed  becaase  she 
laughed,  and  thought  how  happy  I  was  in  her  love,  and  cared 
nothing  for  the  frigate  Scorpion,  or  at  least  forgot  her  for  the  time 


"  Xow  they  are  at  it,"  cried  Don  Christo. 

We  looked  towards  the  scene  of  action,  and  snre  enongh  they 
were.  We  heard  a  blow  which  sonnded  like  the  flakes  of  a  whale 
upon  the  water,  and  by  taking  a  few  strokes  with  the  oars,  were 
enabled  to  see  how  orang-outangs  treated  alligators. 

The  first  blow  which  had  been  administered  by  the  apes,  had 
awakened  the  alligator  from  a  deep  sleep.  Of  coarse  his  first  im- 
pressions were  rather  confused,  and  he  merely  rolled  over  to  es- 
cape the  infliction  ;  but  as  blow  followed  blow  in  rapid  succession, 
the  alligator  began  to  find  his  position  rather  uncomfortable,  and 
headed  towards  the  water.  But  for  this  the  orang-outangs  were 
prepared,  and  they  showered  blows  upon  his  snout  until  I  thought 
they  would  beat  it  to  a  jelly.  But  the  rascal  only  groaned,  and 
seemed  determined  to  clear  his  path. 

They  struck  at  him  every  way.  Some  of  the  blows  missed,  and 
some  landed  on  the  heads  of  the  orangs,  and  mighty  yells  were 
the  result.  They  got  in  each  other's  way.  They  struck  over 
each  other's  shoulders,  and  the  young  ones,  as  enthusiastic  as 
their  elders,  plucked  tufts  of  grass  and  threw  at  the  object  of 
attack,  and  yelled  at  the  same  time  with  fearful  yells ;  but  oc- 
casionally for  their  omciousness,  an  axious  mother  would  scratch 
and  bite  the  youngsters,  and  send  them  howling  to  the  rear,  where 
they  would  vent  their  feelings  by  making  faces  at  their  parents, 
and  otherwise  expressing  disgust  for  those  older  than  themselves. 

But  during  all  this  the  alligator  was  not  idle.  Finding  that 
his  approach  to  the  water  was  cut  off,  he  commenced  fighting  on 
his  own  account,  and  in  a  manner  peculiarly  alligatorish.  Ben  1- 
ing  his  body  until  it  nearly  formed  a  curve,  the  brute  took  sight 
at  his  enemies,  and  let  fly  his  tail  with  a  report  like  the  crack  of 
a  coach  whip.  In  an  instant  some  half  a  dozen  orang-outangs 
were  tumbling  heels  over  head,  or  flying  through  the  air  as  though 
discharged  from  a  gun.  Then  the  yells  were  redoubled,  and 
the  blows  fell  faster  than  ever,  a  dozen  of  the  apes  taking  the 
places  of  those  prostrated.  Sometimes  we  could  hardly  see  the 
combatants  for  mud  and  dirt,  which  they  threw  into  the  air  in 


TRIUMPH    OF   THE    APES.  231 

their  struggles ;  but  if  they  were  screened  from  view,  we  could 
hear  the  blows  which  were  rained  down  upon  the  alligator,  and 
could  hear  the  crack  of  the  tail  as  it  sent  dozens  howling  to  the 
rear  with  broken  bones  and  bruised  limbs. 

Suddenly  the  blows  ceased,  and  a  shout  of  triumph  was  raised, 
the  panting  orang-outangs  leaned  upon  their  clubs,  and  looked 
with  savage  complacency  upon  their  work.  They  had  conquered. 
The  alligator  lay  upon  the  mud,  a  mass  of  bruises,  and  dead.  The 
orang-outangs  were  avenged. 

"  Give  way,  men,"  I  said  ;   "  we  will  go  on  board." 

"  Shall  you  go  up  the  river,  sir?  "  asked  Don  Christo. 

"  Not  to-day,"  I  replied. 

"  To-morrow,  then,"  cried  Gracia. 

"  To-morrow  I  am  in  hopes  to  sail,  and  by  this  time  to  be  miles 
from  here,"  I  answered,  coolly. 

Gracia  looked  disdainful,  and  was  silent.  I  said  nothing  until 
we  arrived  alongside,  when  I  assisted  the  lady  to  the  deck,  and 
she  instantly  retired  below  to  find  relief  in  woman's  true  solace  — 
a  flood  of  tears,  and  affecting  sobs. 

"  Perhaps  I  had  better  take  my  departure,  and  hurry  along  the 
water,"  the  Portuguese  remarked,  after  hanging  around  a  few 
minutes,  and  finding  that  Gracia  did  not  appear  upon  deck. 

"  Perhaps  you  had,"  I  replied.  "  We  shall  want  it  this  after- 
noon, or  not  at  all." 

"  I  will  have  it  alongside  by  sundown,  if  not  earlier ;  "  land 
over  the  side  the  fellow  went,  and  paddled  away  in  his  canoe. 

No  sooner  had  he  entered  the  river,  and. was  hidden  from  the 
deck  of  the  schooner,  than  Matthews  came  aft  with  a  long  face. 

"  Do  you  know  that  marine?  "  he  asked. 

"  He  says  his  name  is  Don  Christo,"  I  replied. 

"  Don  Thunderation ! "  cried  the  sailor,  with  a  look  of  con- 
tempt. u  That  is  the  cussedest  scoundrel  that  passes  for  a 
white  man  on  this  'ere  coast,  and  I  wanted  to  tell  ye  so,  but  I 
couldn't  run  alongside,  somehow,  to  do  it ;  for  he  kept  sheering 
aft,  as  though  fearful  I  was  about  to  board  yer.  I  knew  the  cuss, 
right  well,  but  he  didn't  know  me.  even  if  he  did  look  mighty 
hard  at  me." 

"  What  do  you  know  of  him?  "  I  asked. 

"  I  know  that,  ten  years  ago,  he  was  a  slave  dealer,  and  carried 
on  a  swimming  business  ;  but  he  cheated  the  firm  he  was  work- 


232  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

ing  for,  and  had  to  weigh  anchor  and  be  off.  He  went  down 
the  coast,  stole  two  hundred  niggers,  and  sold  'em ;  and  then 
made  his  peace  by  stealing  a  white  woman,  the  wj/e  of  a  skipper 
of  a  brig.  He  gave  her  to  the  king,  and  she  died  in  two  months. 
The  king  was  furious  at  losing  the  woman,  and  swore  that  he 
would  hang  the  rascal  unless  he  was  supplied  with  another.  And, 
blast  me,  if  the  cuss  didn't  get  hold  of  another,  and  she  too  died, 
raving  crazy,  in  less  than  a  month.  How  much  the  poor  thing 
suffered  you  may  imagine.  I  heard  tell  the  last  one  was  a  ed- 
ificated  woman,  and  that  she  took  it  hard  until  her  mind  foun- 
dered, and  then  she  used  to  laugh  all  day  long." 

"  The  rascal  must  have  had  some  idea  of  playing  false,  when 
he  endeavored  to  persuade  me  to  go  up  the  river  just  now  with 
the  lady,"  I  said. 

Just  at  this  moment  our  boat  was  seen  to  leave  the  mouth  of 
the  creek,  and  pull  leisurely  towards  us. 

"  The  frigate  is  out  of  sight,"  I  said.  "  If  she  was  not,  Mar- 
tin would  stick  to  his  station." 

"  Then  we  can  move  with  the  land  breeze  this  evening?"  Mat- 
thews asked. 

"  As  soon  as  the  water  is  on  board,"  I  replied. 

*'  The  sooner  the  better,  for  I'm  tired  of  this  place,  and,  to  tell 
the  truth,  'taint  very  healthy." 

The  boat  came  alongside,  and  Martin  jumped  on  deck  and  re- 
ported. 

"  She's  out  of  sight,  sir,  —  fairly  drifted  away,  like  a  big  log 
upon  the  water.  We  watched  her  till  not  even  her  rivals  was  to 
be  seen.  She's  gone,  and  may  the  devil  go  with  her." 

"  Amen  !  "  muttered  Matthews. 

"  Is  there  any  air  stirring  outside?  "  I  asked. 

"  Not  enough  to  fan  the  cheek  of  a  lady,  sir.  The  ocean  looks 
like  a  huge  mirror,  and  not  even  a  flying-fish  dares  show  its  head 
for  fear  of  being  roasted  alive,  for  it's  hot  as  —  " 

"  Get  up  the  awnings,"  I  said,  "  and  let  the  men  keep  under 
them,  and  out  of  the  sun  during  the  day.  To-night  we  will  sail, 
and,  if  nothing  happens,  in  two  weeks  we  shall  be  spending  our 
money  in  Havana." 

The  men  heard  the  latter  part  of  my  words,  and  gave  a  feeble 
cheer  to  show  how  much  they  relished  the  idea ;  and  after  the 
awnings  were  spread  to  shield  the  deck  from  the  hot  sun,  which 


GRACIA   ANGRY.  233 

was  pouring  down  as  though  determined  to  melt  the  pitch  in  the 
seams  and  our  brains  at  the  same  time,  I  retired  to  the  cabin  to 
have  a  little  chat  with  Gracia. 

As  expected,  I  found  her  inclined  to  be  sulky,  because  I  had 
not  gratified  her  wish  to  visit  the  negro  village.  It  was  the  first 
time  I  had  ever  refused  her  request,  and  she  felt  grieved  in 
consequence.  A  delicate  lace  handkerchief  was  held  to  her  eyes 
when  I  entered  the  cabin,  and  it  was  only  removed  long  enough 
to  see  who  intruded,  and  then  it  was  returned,  and  symptoms  of 
hysterics  or  sobs  were  apparent.  I  took  my  seat  by  her  side  upon 
the  lounge,  and  spoke. 

"Gracia,"  I  said,  attempting  to  take  one  of  her  small  hands. 

There  was  no  response.  She  resisted  the  attempt  to  take  her 
hand,  and  turned  her  back  upon  me. 

"  Dear  Gracia,"  I  cried,  slipping  an  arm  around  her  waist,  and 
drawing  her  towards  me,  "  do  you  feel  very  angry?" 

"  Yes,  I  do,"  was  the  answer  ;  and  she  made  a  slight  attempt 
to  leave  me,  but  I  held  her  fast,  and  frustrated  it.  In  fact  I  took 
occasion  to  increase  the  pressure  around  her  waist,  and  felt  very 
comfortable  in  consequence. 

"Why  should  you  feel  angry,  Gracia?  "  I  asked. 

"  You  know  the  reason,"  was  the  answer. 

"  And  do  you  know  the  reason  why  I  refused  your  request, 
Gracia?"  , 

"  Yes,  because  you  no  longer  love  me.  But  I  might  have  ex- 
pected as  much." 

There  was  another  violent  sob,  and  the  handkerchief  was  used 
most  energetically. 

"  No,  darling,"  I  answered,  calmly ;  "  it  is  because  I  love  you 
dearly  I  refused  to  go  up  the  river." 

The  handkerchief  was  removed  for  the  space  of  ten  seconds, 
just  time  enough  to  enable  me  to  catch  sight  of  two  black  eyes 
which  expressed  a  scornful,  incredulous  look.  Then  the  eyes  and 
the  face  were  again  hid  under  a  cloud  of  lace,  and  a  sob  floated 
through  the  cabin. 

"  I  think,  from  your  actions,  that  you  do  not  believe  me." 

There  was  no  response.  I  increased  the  pressure  around  her 
waist,  —  and  a  more  symmetrical  one  was  never  clasped  by  man, — 
and  managed  to  get  possession  of  one  of  her  hands,  which  I  kissed 
most  devotedly,  for  the  very  good  reason  that  her  face  was  con- 
cealed, and  could  not  be  approached. 


234  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

u  When  I  tell  you,  darling,  that  the  Portuguese  is  a  most  noted 
rascal  —  that  he  has  already  sold  several  white  women  to  negro 
kings,  and  wanted  to  entrap  us  in  a  visit  up  the  river,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  disposing  of  you  and  murdering  me,  you  will  readily  be- 
lieve that  I  was  right  in  refusing  your  request." 

The  sobs  ceased.     She  listened  to  my  explanation  in  silence. 

u  The  gale  is  moderating,"  I  thought.  u  I  think  that  we  shall 
soon  have  a  smooth  sea  and  a  light  breeze." 

"  Is  this  true  ?  "  she  asked,  after  a  moment's  silence,  but  with 
the  lace  still  to  her  face. 

"  You  know  that  I  am  incapable  of  deceiving  you  —  you  whom 
I  love  so  dearly." 

I  spoke  in  a  tone  so  convincing,  that  she  could  not  resist  full 
forgiveness.  The  lace  was  removed,  and  down  upon  my  shoulder 
came  her  head  with  its  triumph  of  black  hair,  so  profuse  that  it 
almost  covered  my  breast,  and  two  black  eyes,  full  of  fun,  looked 
in  mine  for  pardon. 

"  Did  you  think  I  was  angry,  you  sea  monster?"  she  asked. 

"  I  certainly  did." 

*'  And  now  you  forgive  me?"  and  she  put  up  her  red  lips,  and 
showed  such  white  teeth,  that  with  my  forgiveness  I  tempered 
mercy,  and  did  that  which  any  sensible  man  would  do  had  he 
been  in  my  position.  I  kissed  her  most  affectionately,  and  she 
didn't  make  the  slightest  objection.  > 

"  I  was  little  angry,"  Gracia  said,  with  a  charming  smile,  "but 
not  very,  and  I  wanted  to  make  you  think  that  I  was  quite  en- 
raged, so  that  we  could  enjoy  all  the  pleasures  of  a  reconciliation. 
Wasn't  that  a  good  idea?" 

Of  course  I  was  obliged  to  confess  that  it  was  an  excellent  de- 
vice ;  and  then  we  had  a  long  and  pleasant  talk,  and  no  one 
entered  the  cabin  for  some  time  to  annoy  us. 

"  Beg  pardon,  sir,  for  disturbing  you,"  said  Matthews,  putting 
his  head  inside  the  cabin  door,  after  discreetly  knocking,  and  al- 
lowing me  time  to  change  my  position.  "  Beg  pardon,  sir,  but 
it  is  now  two  bells,  and  the  water  is  jist  comin'  round  the  pint 
of  land.  That  blasted  rascal  is  with  the  canoes,  and,  if  I  was 
you,  I  would  watch  'em." 

The  canoes,  which  were  bringing  on  board  the  water  and  fresh 
provisions,  were  close  under  our  bow.  The  canoe  contaiuiug  the 
water,  as  I  supposed,  was  what  the  natives  called  a  double-bank 


CANOES   ALONGSIDE.  235 

canoe,  about  thirty  feet  long  and  five  feet  beam.  It  was  covered 
with  a  matting  of  leaves,  so  thick  that  it  seemed  as  though  capa- 
ble of  shedding  water.  Only  one  native  was  to  be  seen  on  board 
of  it,  and  he  was  flourishing  a  paddle  at  the  stern.  The  other 
canoe  was  much  smaller,  and  contained  vegetables,  piled  up  so 
high  that  I  thought  there  was  some  danger  of  its  capsizing.  In 
the  bow  of  the  latter  stood  Don  Christo,  and  at  the  stero,  steering 
with  a  paddle,  was  a  negro  of  gigantic  size  and  most  ferocious 
appearance. 

"  Cuss  me,  if  I  wouldn't  like  to  take  jist  one  squint  under  that 
canoe  cover,"  Matthews  growled. 

"What  for?  "I  asked. 

"  I  don't  know  —  but  I  should  !  " 

"  Well,  captain,"  cried  Don  Christo,  from  his  canoe,  "  I  have 
brought  your  supplies,  and  if  you  will  throw  me  a  rope  I  will  haul 
alongside." 

"  What  did  you  cover  the  water  for?  "  I  asked. 

"  O,  to  keep  it  cool  and  wholesome.  You  will  like  the  flavor 
better.  It  is  a  practice  here." 

"  The  cussed  rascal,"  muttered  Matthews ;  "  how  I'd  like  to 
throw  one  of  the  cook's  coppers  at  him,  filled  with  hot  water  !  I'd 
scald  the  villain,  same  as  I'd  scald  a  young  pig." 

One  of  the  men  threw  a  rope's  end  to  the  Portuguese,  and  the 
canoes  slowly  veered  round  with  the  tide,  and  swung  alongside. 
Still  Don  Christo  did  not  seem  in  a  hurry  to  come  on  deck,  and 
I  noted  that  he  talked  with  his  negro  companions  in  a  language 
I  had  never  heard  before. 

"  Are  you  coming  on  deck?  "  I  asked. 

"  In  one  moment,  captain,"  was  the  answer. 

The  giant  negro,  I  have  before  alluded  to,  arose  from  his  posi- 
tion in  the  stern  of  the  canoe,  and  muttered  a  few  words  to  Don 
Christo  in  an  earnest  tone.  The  Portuguese  answered,  and  made 
an  impatient  gesture  with  his  foot. 

"  That  feller  would  sell  well  in  Havana,  sir,"  whispered  Mat- 
thews, who  was  standing  by  my  side. 

I  nodded  in  token  of  assent. 

"  What's  to  prevent  us  from  keeping  him,  now  that  we've  got 
him?"  continued  the  mate.  "Say  but  the  word,  and  we  can 
have  him  safe  under  hatches  in  no  time." 

I  shook  my  head.    I  did  not  like  such  treachery. 


236  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

"  It's  four  hundred  dollars,  sir,"  he  whispered  ;  "  and  four  hun- 
dred dollars  ain't  picked  up  on  every  sea." 

"  It  would  be  a  mean  and  treacherous  piece  of  business.  The 
next  vessel  that  anchored  in  the  harbor  would  have  to  pay  for 
such  an  act  with  fearful  loss  of  life." 

"  But  it's  for  the  black  devil's  good,"  persisted  Matthews.  "  If 
we  take  him  from  here  we  make  something  of  him  in  a  few  years. 
Jist  as  like  as  not  he  would  be  a  Christian,  and  pray  like  the 
devil.  Ain't  that  something?" 

"  It  shan't  be  done,"  I  said.  "  I  despise  all  kinds  of  treachery, 
and  you  should  also,  or  you  are  no  sailor." 

"  I  know  my  duty,  sir,"  replied  Matthews,  somewhat  abashed  ; 
"  but  what  I  proposed  was  for  your  benefit  as  well  as  mine.  If 
you  don't  like  the1  job  I've  no  more  to  say." 

Just  at  that  moment  I  cast  my  eyes  over  the  rail  to  see  why 
Don  Christo  did  not  come  on  deck.  To  my  intense  astonishment 
I  saw  him  and  the  giant  negro  removing  the  matting,  which  I 
supposed  covered  the  water  in  the  large  canoe ;  but  instead  of 
water  there  were  about  forty  woolly  heads  concealed  beneath  the 
mat,  and  at  a  word  the  bodies  connected  with  the  heads  sprang 
to  their  feet,  and  grasping  huge  clubs,  uttered  a  terrible  battle-cry. 
At  the  same  moment  the  vegetables  in  the  other  canoe  were 
thrown  overboard,  and  seven  more  negroes  were  seen,  armed  as 
the  others. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

A  SURPRISE. AN  ATTACK,  AND  WHAT  CAME  OF  IT. A  TER- 
RIBLE STRUGGLE. AN  IMPORTANT  CAPTURE. A  PROPOSI- 
TION, AND  HOW  WE  RECEIVED  IT. 

PERHAPS  it  was  lucky  for  us  that  the  mate  had  forgotten  to 
take  down  the  boarding  net,  and  with  the  single  exception  of  the 
gangway  it  was  triced  up  fore  and  aft.  This  was  a  defence  which 
the  negroes  were  entirely  unacquainted  with ;  and  while  they 
were  staring  at  it  with  stupid  wonder,  neglecting  the  hurried  com- 
mands of  the  Portuguese  rascal  who  led  them,  my  men  had  an 


OUR   DEFENCE.  237 

opportunity  to  seize  upon  handspikes  and  levers,  and  make  some 
preparations  for  defence.  Our  muskets  were  all  below,  and  the 
guns  on  deck,  although  loaded,  were  entirely  useless  after  boats 
were  once  alongside,  as  we  could  not  depress  them  sufficiently  to 
accomplish  any  great  work. 

My  revolvers  and  cutlass,  I  recollected  with  dismay,  were  OQ 
the  cabin  table,  where  I  had  laid  them  during  my  conversation 
with  Gracia.  I  cast  one  glance  towards  my  men,  and  saw  that 
they  stood  firm,  and  were  already  pounding  at  the  woolly  heads 
which  peered  over  the  rail,  or  struggled  to  cross  it.  I  sprang  to- 
wards the  companion-way  to  secure  my  weapons,  but  to  my  sur- 
prise I  met  Gracia  at  the  head  of  the  steps  holding  the  pistols  and 
cutlass  in  her  hands. 

"  I  knew  you  would  want  them,"  the  noble  girl  said,  as  she 
handed  them  to  me,  "  so  I  thought  I  would  bring  them." 

"  Gracia,"  I  said,  "  if  I  live  long  enough  to  marry  you,  our 
coat  of  arms  shall  be  a  heart  as  large  as  a  mess  kid,  with  two  re- 
volvers rampant."  • 

"  First  beat  off  the  negroes,"  she  said,  "  and  then  we  will  talk 
of  marriage."  She  looked  a  little  frightened,  but  otherwise  was 
cool,  as  every  high  born  lady  should  be,  in  an  hour  of  peril. 

"  Then  down  into  the  cabin  with  your  precious  self,  and  stay 
there  until  the  fight  is  over,"  I  said,  hurriedly. 

'*  Where  is  the  cap'n  ?  "  I  heard  the  men  ask,  as  I  left  Gracia. 

44  He  is  here,"  I  replied,  with  a  blow  of  my  cutlass  upon  a 
spear,  which  severed  it  like  a  reed. 

As  I  spoke,  half  a  dozen  of  the  negroes  threw  themselves  from 
the  rail  upon  the  deck,  and  struck  right  and  left  with  their  heavy 
clubs,  and  I  was  sorry  to  see,  with  some  effect. 

"Down  with  the  black  rascals  !  "  I  cried,  avoiding  a  blow  that 
was  aimed  at  my  head  with  excellent  intentions.  "  Clear  the 
deck  of  the  black  villains." 

As  I  spoke  I  gave  a  quick  stroke  with  my  sword,  and  severed 
the  right  arm  of  one  of  our  opponents  close  to  his  shoulder.  The 
red  blood  spirted  out,  and  with  such  force,  that  it  was  thrown 
several  feet  across  the  deck.  Eight  or  ten  of  the  negroes,  who 
were  standing  on  the  rail,  were  so  astonished  at  the  sight,  that 
they  forgot  to  jump  on  deck  and  assist  their  companions. 

We  held  our  own  and  more  ;  for  somehow  the  giant  negro  and 
the  Portuguese  were  no  longer  to  be  seen,  and  I  did  not  even 


238  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

hear  their  voices  encouraging  the  natives  to  fight,  with  their 
usual  ferocity.  I  also  missed  Matthews,  who  I  thought  had  de- 
serted us  in  the  hour  of  danger  on  account  of  his  age  ;  but  in  this 
respect  I  wronged  the  old  man,  for  suddenly  I  heard  his  voice 
shouting,  — 

"  Hit  'em  on  the  shins,  messmates  ;  hit  'em  on  the  shins." 

The  men  gave  a  yell  of  delight,  and  changing  the  direction  of 
their  blows,  let  them  fall  with  terrible  force  upon  the  niggers'  feet 
and  shins,  said  by  those  familiar  with  the  anatomy  of  the  colored 
man  to  be  the  most  tender  part  of  his  body. 

The  effect  was  instantaneous.  With  cries  of  agony  the  blacks 
dropped  their  clubs,  and  commenced  rubbing  their  shins,  and 
shouting  in  their  native  language  maledictions  upon  us.  The  men 
struck  with  such  force  that  many  feet  were  crushed  instantly ; 
and  the  panic  which  was  experienced  on  deck  was  quickly  com- 
municated to  those  in  the  canoes,  and  I  soon  saw  that  no  more 
natives  attempted  to  board. 

"  Now,  lads,  for  one  more  effort.  Let  us  stave  canoes  along- 
side," I  said. 

The  men  caught  up  thirty-two-pound  shot,  which  were  lying 
along  the  plank  shear,  and  sprang  upon  the  bulwark. 

"  There's  only  one  canoe  here,  sir,"  they  cried. 

I  looked  over,  and  saw  that  the  small  canoe  was  not  alongside. 
I  feared  that  the  Portuguese  and  the  giant  negro  had  made  their 
escape ;  and  if  they  had,  our  triumph  would  be  but  a  barren  one. 
The  natives  were  cowering  in  the  bottom  of  the  large  canoe,  and 
made  signs  that  they  were  tired  of  fighting,  and  wanted  to  sur- 
render. 

"  Sink  'em,"  shouted  Matthews,  levelling  a  gun,  half  a  dozen 
of  which  he  had  brought  from  the  store-room  while  I  was  won- 
dering at  his  absence. 

The  men  lifled'the  heavy  masses  of  iron,  and  were  about  to 
let  them  fall  and  crash  through  the  canoe,  when  at  a  word  from 
me  they  stopped. 

"  Secure  them,"  I  said.     "No  more  killing." 

"  But  they  tried  to  take  the  schooner,  cap'n,"  murmured  the 
men. 

"  And  bio  wed  if  they  don't  deserve  death,"  said  Matthews. 

"  I  know  that,"  I  replied. 

"  Then  let's  send  'em  to  Davy  Jones's  locker,"  some  of  the  men 
exclaimed. 


A   TERRIBLE   STRUGGLE.  239 

"I  know  a  trick  worth  two  of  that,"  I  answered.  *c  A  live 
slave  is  better  than  a  dead  one." 

"  Hurrah  !  The  captain  forever ! "  shouted  the  men,  who  saw 
through  ray  motive  at  once.  "  There's  twenty-five  of  'em  not  in- 
jured, and  they  are  good  for  three  hundred  dollars  each  in  Cuba. 
That's  the  way  to  make  money." 

"  Jump  down  into  the  canoe  and  handcuff  them,"  I  said,  "  and 
shoot  the  ones  who  offer  resistance." 

Half  a  dozen  muskets  were  pointed  at  the  quailing  negroes,  and 
half  a  dozen  of  the  men  jumped  into  the  canoe  with  handcuffs. 

Just  at  that  moment  I  heard  a  suppressed  scream  from  the 
cabin,  and  I  knew  it  to  be  Gracia's  voice.  I  didn't  stop  to  in- 
quire if  she  had  been  frightened  by  a  spider  or  a  cockroach, 
but  sprang  from  the  rail  on  which  I  was  standing,  and  ran  to- 
wards the  cabin,  followed  by  Matthews.  I  entered,  and  saw 
the  giant  negro  and  Don  Christo  struggling  with  the  lady.  The 
Portuguese  had  one  hand  upon  Gracia's  mouth  to  prevent  her 
screaming,  and  the  negro  had  the  lady  in  his  arms,  and  was 
endeavoring  to  force  her  towards  the  cabin  windows,  under  which 
a  canoe  was  held  by  a  negro,  ready  to  receive  the  girl  if  the  ras- 
cals succeeded  in  securing  her. 

The  instant  the  two  villains  saw  me  they  released  Gracia,  and 
she  fell  to  the  deck,  fainting,  overpowered  by  the  unequal  contest. 
The  negro  was  the  first  to  attack  me,  urged  on  by  the  rascally 
Portuguese.  He  sprang  towards  me,  his  face  horribly  distorted 
by  passion  ;  and  I  have  no  doubt  could  he  have  once  clasped 
me  in  his  arms  my  life  would  soon  have  terminated,  for  his 
strength  was  immense.  But  as  he  made  a  plunge  for  me,  I 
stepped  nimbly  aside,  and  the  negro  dashed  head  first  against  the 
stomach  of  Matthews,  who  entered  the  cabin  at  that  moment. 
Both  went  down,  struggling. 

But  I  had  no  time  to  attend  to  their  battle,  for  even  during  the 
brief  period  in  which  my  attention  was  attracted,  the  Portuguese 
had  sought  to  take  advantage  of  it.  As  I  turned  to  pay  my  re- 
spects to  him  I  saw  he  held  a  pistol  in  his  hand,  and  that  he 
was  aiming  at  my  heart.  I  had  no  time  to  remark  more.  There 
was  a  discharge,  and  I  felt  something  cold  pass  along  my  skin, 
near  the  ribs ;  but  I  did  not  feel  faint  as  though  I  was  badly 
wounded.  The  touch  of  the  lead  acted  on  me  like  a  spur,  and 
seemed  to  inspire  me  with  the  strength  of  a  dozen  men.  I  sprang 


240  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

for  the  scamp  ;  but  he  dropped  his  pistol  and  made  a  dive  for 
the  cabin  windows,  intending  to  regain  his  canoe  and  attempt 
an  escape,  for  he  surmised  that  his  game  was  tip.  As  he 
reached  the  transom  I  caught  him  with  a  blow  of  my  cutlass  upon 
his  head  that  cut  through  hair  and  scalp,  and  inflicted  a  gash 
nearly  six  inches  long.  Down  he  fell,  and  made  no  further  at- 
tempts to  move.  I  preferred  to  save  him  for  future  vengeance, 
therefore  did  not  repeat  my  blow. 

In  the  meantime  Matthews  and  the  negro  were  having  a  rough 
and  tumble  fight ;  but  I  imagined  the  latter  was  getting  the  best 
of  it,  for  I  heard  the  mate  shout,  — 

"  No  gouging,  you  black  devil.  A  fair  fight  and  no  favor. 
Don't  attempt  to  bite  me,  you  cuss." 

I  soon  terminated  the  combat ;  for  I  brought  the  back  of  my 
cutlass  down  upon  the  giant's  head  with  such  force  that  the  blood 
spirted  out  in  streams,  and  the  strong  grasp  upon  the  mate's  neck 
was  instantly  relinquished.  Still  the  negro  was  not  subdued,  and 
was  as  full  of  fight  as  ever.  He  was  endeavoring  to  gain  his 
feet,  and  I  was  about  to  finish  him,  but  Matthews  shouted,  — 

"  No,  no,  cap'n ;  don't  kill  the  black  rascal,  'cos  he's  as  good 
as  twelve  hundred  dollars  in  Cuba." 

The  words  were  hardly  uttered  before  the  crew  poured  into  the 
cabin,  and  in  spite  of  the  giant's  resistance  secured  him. 

"  I  could  have  finished  him  with  a  fair  fight,"  Matthews  said, 
in  explanation  to  the  wondering  crew,  "  but  he's  a  leetle  too 
tough  for  me  in  the  rough  and  tumble." 

"  On  deck  with  him,"  I  said,  "  and  take  that  black-hearted 
rascal  also,"  pointing  to  the  insensible  Portuguese. 

"We  can't  sell  him,  cap'n,"  said  Matthews. 

'*  I  know  it ;  but  we  can  hang  him." 

"  Well,  that's  some  satisfaction,  anyhow.  I'll  go  on  deck  and 
see  that  the  men  secure  the  prisoners  ; "  and  Matthews  left  the  cabin. 

I  raised  the  form  of  Gracia  from  the  deck,  and  laid  her  in 
my  state-room  before  the  men  entered  the  cabin  to  remove  the 
Portuguese  ;  but  as  soon  as  I  was  alone,  returned  to  her  I  loved 
so  well,  and  bathed  her  head  with  water,  and  under  my  treatment 
she  soon  revived  and  was  able  to  speak.  Then  she  acted  like  a 
girl  of  sense,  and  entirely  different  from  the  general  run  of  hero- 
ines. First  of  all  she  put  her  arms  around  my  neck  and  kissed 
me  most  affectionately,  and  then  began  to  show  me  how  chafed 


OUR   PRISONERS.  241 

her  arms  were  from  the  effects  of  the  struggle  with  the  two 
ruffians. 

I  recollected  that  the  rascally  Portuguese  had  fired  a  pistol, 
and  that  the  bullet  had  hit  me ;  but  I  told  Gracia  that  I  es- 
caped with  but  a  few  scratches,  and  then,  leaving  her  to  that  rest 
which  she  was  so  much  entitled  to,  went  to  another  state-room 
to  find  out  how  much  I  was  injured,  if  at  all.  The  ball  had  been 
aimed  well  enough,  but  it  had  struck  a  button  in  my  vest  pocket, 
and  just  grazed  the  skin  below  my  breast,  drawing  but  a  few 
drops  of  blood.  I  felt  thankful  it  was  no  worse,  and  then  re- 
turned to  the  deck  to  see  what  I  should  do  with  my  prisoners. 

I  found  that  the  Portuguese  and  negro  had  revived,  by  the  aid 
of  several  buckets  of  water  which  the  men  had  thrown  over  them ; 
but  their  escape  was  impossible,  as  they  were  secured  to  ring- 
bolts, with  patent  spring  handcuffs  of  the  best  steel.  The  men 
were  collected  around  them,  and  pouring  the  most  bitter  curses 
upon  their  heads  ;  but  as  the  parties  interested  did  not  understand 
English,  perhaps  it  did  not  matter  so  much  what  the  sailors  said. 

"What  have  you  done  with  the  rest  of  the  prisoners  ?"  J[ 
asked  of  Matthews. 

"  Put  'em  under  hatches  with  the  slaves,5*  was  the  reply. 

"  And  the  wounded  ones?  " 

"  Them  'ere  fellers  what  hadn't  got  broken  bones  went  to,  but 
the  others  I've  stowed  in  the  canoe,  and  they  is  alongside." 

I  hardly  knew  what  to  do  with  them,  for  I  did  not  like  the  idea 
of  hanging  the  rascals,  as  they  were  not  so  much  to  blame  as  the 
leaders.  I  looked  over  the  rail,  and  saw  that  they  lay  in  the  bot- 
tom of  the  large  canoe,  groaning  most  piteously,  so  felt  some 
little  sympathy  for  their  misfortunes.  I  determined  to  set  them 
on  shore,  and  let  them  do  the  best  they  could  towards  making 
their  way  to  the  village,  or  else  let  those  who  could  paddle  take 
the  canoe  for  that  purpose.  While  I  was  thus  in  a  merciful  mood, 
Matthews  came  aft. 

"  That  'ere  Portuguese  rascal  wants  to  have  a  little  talk  with 
you,"  he  said.  • 

"  What  does  he  desire?  "  I  asked. 

"  Don't  know,  sir.  Says  that  he  won't  open  his  jaw  to  any  one 
but  you,  and  that  it  is  worth  your  while  to  speak  to  him  for  a 
minute." 

16 


242  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

"The  fellow  wants  to  beg  for  his  life,"  I  said. 

"  I  s'pose  so.  Sich  cowards  as  he  ginerally  does.  They  gets 
men  in  awkward  boxes,  and  then  wants  to  crawl  out  themselves. 
That's  the  way  wid  'em  sure." 

I  determined  to  speak  with  the  man,  and  hear  what  he  had 
to  say  in  extenuation  of  his  crime.  For  this  purpose  I  walked 
to  the  spot  where  the  wretch  was  ironed  to  the  deck,  and  as  I  ap- 
proached,' the  sailors  fell  back. 

"  Go  get  your  suppers,  men,"  I  said,  "  and  leave  me  to  talk 
with  the  prisoner." 

"  It's  precious  little  talk  he'd  get  out  of  me,"  said  one  of  the 
men.  "  I'd  hang  him  at  the  yard-arm  as  a  scarecrow,  afore  two 
bells  was  passed." 

"  Ah,  the  blasted  dog  —  he  wanted  to  betray  better  men  than 
himself,"  said  a  second  sailor ;  a  man  whose  face  bore  such  a  re- 
semblance to  a  monkey,  that  he  was  called  "  Monkey  Jack"  on 
board. 

"With  this  parting  salute  the  crew  moved  forward,  and  left  me 
alone  with  Don  Christo ;  and  a  hard-looking  Don  he  was,  with 
his  face  and  body  covered  with  blood,  and  his  clothes  torn  by  the 
rough  handling  of  the  men.  His  eyes  had  lost  much  of  their 
brightness,  but  they  looked  as  treacherous  and  snaky  as  ever. 

"  You  wanted  to  speak  with  me,"  I  said,  sitting  down  on  a 
spar,  and  addressing  the  wounded  villain  in  Spanish. 

"  Yes,  senor ;  I  have  something  of  importance  to  communi- 
cate," was  the  answer. 

"  With  the  expectation  of  purchasing  your  life,  I  suppose,"  I 
said. 

"  Perhaps,  senor,  you  will  think  that  what  I  relate  is  of  more 
importance  than  my  poor  life." 

u  Perhaps,"  I  answered,  dryly. 

"  I  should  never  have  made  the  attempt  I  did,  had  I  not  been 
persuaded  by  the  king,"  Don  Christo  exclaimed. 

"Why  by  the  king?" 

"  When  I  told  him  of  the  wonderful  loveliness  of  your  wife, 
he  swore  that  he  must  possess  her,  and  insisted  that  I  should  ac- 
company him,"  the  lying  hypocrite  cried. 

"  And  why  did  you  take  the  trouble  to  speak  of  my  wife,"  I 
asked. 

"  Because  the  king  was  particular  to  know  who  was  on  board. 


A  PLEA   FOR   LIFE.  243 

He  is  fond  of  white  women,  and  always  ready  to  trade  for  orne. 
He  asked  me  if  there  was  one  on  board,  and  when  I  told  him 
there  was,  but  could  not  be  bought,  he  said  that  he  would  have 
her,  even  if  he  had  to  take  the  vessel." 

"  Granted  that  what  you  say  is  true,  how  is  it  to  affect  your 
life?  "I  asked. 

"  That  you  will  soon  see.  The  king  is  your  prisoner,  and  you 
can  take  his  life  or  save  it,"  the  Portuguese  said. 

I  remained  silent. 

"  Now  don't  you  think  that  it  would  be  better  to  save  my  life, 
if  I  can  get  the  natives  to  pay  a  large  sum  for  their  king?"  the 
Portuguese  continued. 

"  Where  can  they  get  the  money?"  I  asked,  with  more  interest 
than  I  had  shown. 

"  They  have  gold  dust ;  every  native  has  some.  The  king  has 
two  or  three  hundred  pounds  which  his  wives  have  collected. 
Save  my  life  and  I'll  help  you  get  possession  of  it." 

"  It  seems  that  you  are  willing  to  arrange  matters  quite  readi- 
ly," I  said. 

"  A  man  will  do  much  for  his  life,  senor,"  said  the  Portuguese, 
in  an  abject  tone. 

"  I  will  not  promise  that  your  life  shall  be  spared,  but  I  am 
willing  to  return  the  king  to  his  people  for  two  hundred  pounds 
weight  of  gold  dust,  and  I  want  it  on  board  by  noon  to-morrow." 

"  You  shall  have  it,  senor ;  and  now  let  me  send  one  of  the 
wounded  negroes  on  shore  as  a  messenger." 

"  If  you  play  us  false,"  I  said,  "  you  shall  not  live  one  minute 
after  it  is  discovered." 

"  I  will  be  true,  senor,  for  my  life  is  in  your  hands,"  was  the 
answer. 

44  At  any  rate  you  cannot  harm  us,"  I  thought ;  and  I  judged 
that  it  was  best  to  trust  him,  so  a  negro  was  despatched  with  a 
message  to  the  village. 

As  soon  as  it  was  dark,  I  told  Matthews  to  take  a  boat  and 
go  up  the  river  as  quietly  as  he  could,  and  fill  four  or  five  small 
casks  with  water,  and  to  hasten  back  as  soon  as  possible.  I  also 
directed  him  to  take  six  of  the  best  men,  with  muskets,  pistols, 
and  cutlasses ;  but  on  no  account  to  encounter  the  natives,  if  it 
was  possible  to  avoid  them.  He  was  also  ordered  to  notice  the 
village,  and  note  if  he  saw  anything  unusual  going  on  there. 


244  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

The  mate  understood  the  job  with  great  readiness,  and  in  a  few 
minutes  had  the  gang-casks  in  the  boat,  and  his  men  selected.  In- 
stead of  using  oars  they  took  the  paddles  which  were  in  the  canoe 
alongside,  and  would  make  less  noise  than  the  oars ;  and  then 
the  boat  pushed  off,  and  was  soon  lost  to  view  in  the  darkness  that 
had  settled  upon  the  harbor  of  Mud  Creek.  I  walked  the  deck, 
and  awaited  the  return  of  the  boat  with  much  anxiety.  Not  that 
I  believed  that  there  was  any  danger  in  the  expedition,  but  feared 
that  the  men  might  be  imprudent  and  run  into  difficulties,  with 
the  characteristic  imprudence  of  sailors. 

I  heard  the  paddles  of  the  boat' as  it  swept  around  the  river's 
point,  and  headed  for  the  schooner  an  hour  afterwards. 

"  Have  you  got  the  water?  "  I  asked,  when  the  boat  was  twenty 
or  thirty  fathoms  off. 

"  All  right,  sir,"  answered  Matthews,  from  the  stern-sheets. 

The  boat  came  alongside,  and  the  mate  joined  me  on  deck. 

44  Did  you  have  any  trouble  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Not  a  bit,  sir.  The  niggers  are  too  much  occupied  with 
somethin'  on  shore  to  attend  to  the  river.  The  village  is  all 
alive  with  niggers,  and  lighted  up  as  though  they  were  having  a 
big  powwow." 

I  thought  it  would  account  for  the  capture  of  the  king,  and 
that  his  subjects  had  formed  themselves  into  a  committee  of  the 
whole,  for  the  purpose  of  raising  the  dust  to  secure  his  release. 

"  How  is  the  water  you  have  brought  on  board  ?  Good  and 
clear?" 

4 *  It  is  much  better  than  I  expected,  and  tastes  sweet,  although 
I  think  that  a  dash  of  rum  would  improve  it.  I  ain't  much  of  a 
water  drinker,  'cos  I  think  it  was  made  for  wimmen  and  children. 
If  it  had  been  intended  for  sailors  to  drink,  I  think  that  the  ocean 
would  have  been  fresh  instead  of  salt." 

I  took  the  strong  hint,  and  Matthews  and  his  boat's  crew 
received  a  stiff  glass  of  grog,  with  many  expressions  of  approval. 
We  then  hoisted  the  water  on  board,  and  I  sent  the  boat  back, 
with  empty  casks,  for  a  further  supply ;  and  while  the  mate  was 
absent  I  set  an  anchor  watch,  and  went  below,  with  orders  to  call 
me  if  anything  turned  up. 

Gracia  was  sleeping  soundly,  and  probably  dreaming  of  home 
and  its  attractions.  I  did  not  disturb  her,  but  threw  myself  upon 
the  lounge,  and  slept  without  being  awakened  until  daylight. 


A   LITTLE   SUSPICIOUS.  245 

Just  as  I  reached  the  deck,  I  saw  a  canoe  containing  two  ne- 
groes round  the  point,  and  paddle  towards  the  vessel.  When 
within  half  a  cable's  length  they  ceased  paddling,  and  one  of  them 
raised  a  strip  of  white  cloth,  and  waved  it  in  the  air,  as  a  token 
of  peace.  I  made  motions  for  them  to  come  alongside,  and  they 
timidly  obeyed.  One  came  on  deck,  and  muttered  some  words  in 
his  native  tongue  ;  and  to  find  out  his  meaning,  I  took  him  to  the 
Portuguese,  whose  condition  did  not  appear  to  excite  much  sym- 
pathy in  the  heart  of  the  negro  ;  and  I  strongly  suspected  that  the 
latter  was  rather  glad  than  otherwise  at  the  humiliation  of  the 
parasite.  For  a  few  moments  they  talked  together  with  much 
earnestness,  and  at  length  the  Portuguese  interpreted  what  the 
visitor  said. 

44  The  negroes  will  make  up  the  two  hundred  pounds  of  gold 
dust,  captain  ;  but  they  are  fearful  that  you  won't  keep  your  word, 
and  release  the  king  after  you  receive  the  dust." 

"  How  shall  I  convince  them?"  I  asked. 

"  I  know  of  but  one  way,"  said  the  Portuguese,  after  a  mo- 
ment's thought. 

"  Name  it." 

"  By  letting  me  go  on  shore  with  them.  That  will  show  you 
are  in  earnest." 

I  saw  the  trick ;  the  rascal  wanted  to  get  his  neck  out  of  a 
noose  if  possible,  and  imagined  that  the  dust  would  blind  me  suf- 
ficiently to  let  him  escape.  But  I  had  no  idea  of  any  such  thing. 
He  must  have  read  my  determination  in  my  face,  for  he  again 
spoke,  — 

44  Of  course,  if  I  went  on  shore  I  should  do  all  in  my  power  to 
hurry  the  dust  along,  so  that  you  can  sail  to-night." 

"  I  shall  sail  to-night,"  I  said,  "  whether  the  dust  comes,  or 
remains  on  shore." 

44  But  you  will  not  take  me  with  you?  "  he  asked. 

"  I  shall  not,"  I  replied. 

"  Then  I  can  go  on  shore  with  the  natives  now?"  the  Portu- 
guese said,  with  renewed  hope. 

"  You  can't." 

44  Why  not?" 

*4  Because  I  intend  to  hold  you  until  the  money  is  paid ;  and  if 
it  is  not  paid,  the  king  goes  to  Cuba,  and  you  to  — " 

44  Where?  "  he  asked,  with  anxiety. 


246  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

"  To  the  yard-arm." 

He  sank  back  without  another  word,  but  his  dark  face  paled  at 
the  thought  of  death.  Anything  but  that.  He  would  have  sub- 
mitted to  the  most  degrading  tasks  rather  than  die.  Thinking  that 
I  had  made  a  suitable  impression,  I  left  him  and  the  negro  con- 
versing together ;  and  presently  the  latter  went  over  the  side,  and 
paddled  for  the  shore  as  though  in  a  hurry. 

We  gave  the  fallen  king  a  good  breakfast,  and  his  majesty  was 
not  so  humiliated  but  that  he  could  stow  away  two  pounds  of  salt 
beef  and  a  pound  of  ship  bread  without  much  trouble  ;  and  when 
the  whole  was  washed  down  with  a  stiff  glass  of  rum,  the  king 
was  pleased  to  rub  his  stomach,  and  mutter  "  barracker,"  which, 
I  suppose,  was  intended  for  good. 

"What's  going  to  be  done  with  them  'ere  marines?"  asked 
Matthews,  after  the  decks  were  washed  down  and  swabbed  dry. 

"  Make  money  out  of  one  of  them,"  I  answered. 

"  I  don't  see  how  it  can  be  done,  unless  we  sell  'em,"  he  an- 
swered. 

"  But  I  do." 

The  mate  scratched  his  head,  and  said  no  more  ;  but  I  saw  that 
he  could  not  help  thinking. 

By  the  time  the  sun  was  three  hours  high,  I  began  to  think 
the  darkies  were  unable  to  raise  the  gold  dust,  and  that  they 
would  find  it  much  more  to  their  advantage  to  elect  another  man 
to  the  position  of  king,  instead  of  ransoming  the  one  we  held. 
But  just  as  I  had  given  up  all  hope,  a  large  canoe  containing  two 
natives,  appeared  in  sight,  and  paddled  direct  for  the  schooner. 
As  soon  as  the  canoe  was  alongside,  I  saw  that  the  treasure  had 
come  ;  for  it  was  lying  on  the  bottom  of  the  boat,  secured  in  buck- 
skin pouches,  and  there  were  ten  of  them. 

"  Jump  into  the  canoe,  two  of  you,  and  pass  those  bags  up,"  I 
said. 

The  men  stared,  and  manifested  their  astonishment. 

"  Be  careful  of  them,"  I  said,  "  for  each  one  contains  twenty 
pounds  of  gold  dust." 

"  What  is  it  for,  sir?  "  asked  Matthews. 

"  It  is  for  all  hands,"  I  replied.  "  It  is  payment  for  the  release 
of  the  king  of  Mud  Creek." 

"  And  do  you  mean  to  say,  sir,  that  we  is  all  to  share  that?" 
demanded  Matthews,  with  some  excitement. 


A  JOYFUL   CREW.  247 

"  Of  course  I  do,"  I  replied. 

"  Then,"  said  Matthews,  turning  to  the  men,  "  I  calls  for  three 
cheers  for  our  cap'n,  and  may  we  always  have  aa  good  a  one." 

He  flung  his  hat  in  the  air  and  roared  like  a  bull,  and  the  men 
followed  suit,  starting  the  alligators  of  Mud  Creek  from  their 
slimy  beds,  and  nearly  frightening  Gracia  out  of  her  wits. 

Half  a  dozen  of  the  men  struggled  for  the  honor  of  handing 
up  the  precious  dust,  but  at  length  Matthews  got  the  start  and 
reached  the  canoe,  commenced  passing  the  dust  up  on  deck, 
where  it  was  felt  of,  and  even  smelt  of  by  the  men.  I  had  it 
carried  into  the  cabin,  where  I  examined  it  carefully  to  see  how 
much  the  natives  had  cheated;  for  they  were  not  above  such 
things,  but,  for  a  wonder,  I  found  the  dust  quite  free  of  sand  and 
impurities.  •  Then  I  weighed  it,  and  found  full  two  hundred  pounds, 
and  nothing  was  said  about  Troy  weight  either.  I  called  the  men 
aft,  and  said  to  them,  — 

'*  We  have  got  two  hundred  pounds  of  gold  dust  for  the  negro 
king,  and  I  need  not  tell  you  that  it  is  worth  in  Havana  about 
forty  thousand  dollars.  The  question  is,  do  you  feel  like  giving 
up  the  Portuguese  as  well  as  the  king  ?  " 

"  I  s'pose  no  one  would  have  any  objection,  if  he  come  down 
putty  handsome,"  Matthews  said,  with  a  sly  wink. 

He  had  got  a  taste  for  gold,  and  for  a  moment  forgot  the  of- 
fences of  the  white  rascal. 

u  Ah,  that's  the  talk  ;  let  him  come  down  with  as  much  as  the 
nigger,  and  he  can  go  too,"  said  the  men. 

"But  suppose  he  cannot  raise  two  hundred  pounds ? "  I  asked. 

"  Then,  cuss  him,  hang  him !  "  was  the  cry. 

The  men  were  like  bulldogs,  fierce  for  blood  after  once  smell- 
ing it.  I  would  have  saved  the  Portuguese,  but  saw  that  such 
was  the  deadly  hatred  of  the  men  it  was  impossible,  unless  he 
had  wealth  enough  to  purchase  his  life. 

"  Let  us  hang  him  now ! "  the  men  cried ;  and  they  made  a 
rush  towards  the  place  where  Don  Christo  was  lying. 

"  Ah,  up  with  him !    Remember  the  white  women  he  betrayed." 

I  do  not  believe  but  half  of  my  men  would  have  acted  as  he 
had  done,  but  just  at  that  moment  they  felt  particularly  virtuous, 
and  desirous  of  showing  how  much  they  abhorred  the  Portuguese. 
Before  they  could  lay  violent  hand  upon  their  intended  victim  I 
was  by  his  side. 


248        »  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

"  Back,  men,"  I  said.     "  Would  you  commit  murder?  " 

"  Ah,  that  we  will,  unless  the  blasted  rascal  is  given  up  to  us," 
was  the  answer  of  one  of  the  men,  a  great  stout  fellow  whom  I 
had  noticed  as  not  particularly  active  during  the  fight  with  the 
negroes. 

He  stooped  as  he  spoke,  as  though  about  to  proceed  at  all  haz- 
ard against  the  prisoner.  I  pushed  him  back,  but  the  fellow  still 
pressed  on,  muttering,  — 

"  The  Portuguese  shall  die  in  spite  of  you.  We'll  have  our 
say  about  it." 

44  Will  you?"  I  said  ;  and  struck  the  man  a  blow  between  the 
eyes  that  felled  him  like  an  ox. 

He  staggered  to  his  feet,  and  came  towards  me,  his  hands  fly- 
ing like  jib-sheet  blocks,  when  tacking  ship  during  a  strong  breeze. 
The  men  stood  one  side  for  the  purpose  of  showing  fair  play,  and 
I  saw  that  I  was  in  for  it,  and  had  got  to  vindicate  my  authority 
by  a  knock-down  fight.  I  was  not  so  much  adverse  to  it  just 
at  that  time,  as  I  otherwise  should  have  been,  for  I  knew  that  I 
was  right.  I  therefore  stood  one  side,  when  the  man  rushed  at 
me  like  a  bull ;  but  as  he  was  about  passing  me,  I  struck  him  a 
blow  under  his  ear  that  sent  him  senseless  to  the  deck,  where  he 
lay  for  a  few  minutes  without  any  assistance. 

"  Is  there  any  one  else  that  would  like  to  lay  a  hand  upon  this 
man  ?  "  I  asked. 

There  was  no  reply.  The  men  looked  at  each  other  in  silence, 
as-  though  somewhat  astonished. 

"  Now,  go  forward,"  I  said.  "  When  it  is  time  to  talk  about 
this  man's  dying,  I  will  let  you  know." 

The  men  obeyed,  and  went  without  a  murmur. 

"  That's  well  done,"  said  Matthews,  rubbing  his  hands.  "  You 
astonished  the  men  by  your  science.  Of  all  things  I  like  to  see  a 
gallant  mill,  but  this  one  was  all  one  way,  and  no  chance  to  make 
up  bets.  Ah,  when  I  was  in  Hingland  what  fights  I've  seen,  and 
all  conducted  on  the  ring  principle." 

I  was  not  particularly  pleased  with  such  praise,  although  I  knew 
it  was  well  enough  intended.  The  character  of  a  bruiser  was 
one  that  I  did  not  aspire  to,  but  sometimes  a  well  planted  blow  is 
worth  a  cargo  of  sermons,  especially  at  sea. 

But  while  we  had  been  quarrelling,  the  negroes  who  brought 
the  ransom  on  board,  were  impatient  for  the  liberation  of  their 


AN    UNGRATEFUL   KING.  249 

king,  and  they  looked  as  though  fearful  I  intended  to  break 
faith  with  them.  But  such  was  not  my  intention.  I  went  to  the 
fallen  monarch,  removed  his  irons,  and  pointed  to  the  shore ; 
and  he  was  glad  enough  to  think  he  was  free.  As  he  stepped 
over  the  gangway,  I  spoke  to  the  Portuguese.  The  king  looked 
for  a  moment  at  him,  then  put  his  hand  upon  his  own  head  where 
his  wound  was,  and  with  a  savage  grin,  entered  the  canoe  and 
pushed  off. 

"  Senor  captain,"  cried  the  Portuguese,  "  has  the  king  gone?" 

"  He  has,"  I  answered. 

"  For  the  sake  of  the  saints  let  me  speak  one  word  to  him.  I 
can  make  him  pay  a  ransom  for  me.  He  must  do  it.  I  have 
helped  him  many  times,  and  he  has  gold  dust  enough.  Let  me 
speak  with  him  only  a  word." 

"  Cast  him  loose  from  the  ringbolt,"  I  said  ;  "  I  will  give  him 
a  last  chance." 

Matthews  obeyed,  while  the  Portuguese  staggered  to  the  bul- 
warks, and  shouted  to  the  king  in  the  language  of  the  village.  His 
majesty's  attendants  stopped  rowing  for  a  moment,  while  the  sable 
king  listened  without  manifesting  the  least  feeling.  Don  Christo 
continued  to  plead,  but  at  length  the  king  laid  his  huge  black 
hand  upon  the  wound  upon  his  head,  as  though  to  remind  the 
Portuguese  that  it  was  there  by  his  means.  Then  he  spoke  a 
word  to  his  boatmen,  and  they  recommenced  paddling  for  the 
river. 

"  Cuss  his  black  heart !  "  muttered  the  Portuguese ;  "  if  I  had 
supposed  he  was  so  ungrateful,  I  would  have  murdered  him  long 
since." 

The  rascal  glanced  over  the  deck  of  the  schooner,  saw  that  no 
one  was  near  him,  and  that  no  fire-arms  were  at  hand. 

"  Senor  captain,"  he  asked,  "  if  I  remain  on  board  shall  I  be 
punished?" 

"  You  will,"  I  replied. 

"  In  what  way?"  he  demanded. 

"  By  hanging." 

"  No,  by  the  saints,  I  will  not  stand  that.  I  was  born  a  gentle- 
man, and  I'll  die  like  one.  No  cord  shall  choke  the  life  out  of  me." 

As  he  spoke  he  made  a  sudden  spring,  and  reached  the  rail, 
where  he  stood  for  a  second,  and  then  with  a  bold  plunge  went 
overboard.  He  was  so  quick  that  there-was  no  time  to  restrain 
him  had  I  been  so  disposed. 


250  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

The  men  sprang  to  the  rail,  and  some  of  them  came  tumbling 
aft  to  the  boats,  for  the  purpose  of  lowering  them  and  picking  the 
man  up.  But  I  stopped  them,  and  sent  them  forward. 

"  Give  him  fair  play/*  I  said.  "If  he  can  reach  the  shore  he 
is  entitled  to  his  liberty." 

The  men  took  their  positions  on  the  rail,  and  watched  for  the 
Portuguese  to  make  his  appearance  upon  the  surface  of  the  water. 
They  knew  that  the  harbor  was  full  of  alligators,  and  that  the 
swimmer  would  find  it  difficult  to  avoid  them.  Therefore,  when 
Don  Christo  showed  his  head  he  was  greeted  with  a  yell  which 
made  him  strike  out  for  the  shore  with  lusty  strokes ;  but  upon 
looking  over  his  shoulder  and  finding  he  was  not  pursued,  and 
that  no  muskets  were  pointed  at  him,  he  slackened  his  exertions, 
and  struck  out  with  more  moderate  strokes  for  the  point  of  land 
that  concealed  the  mouth  of  the  river.  For  two  minutes  the  man 
swam  on  without  interruption,  and  I  began  to  think  he  would 
escape  punishment  after  all ;  but  suddenly  three  or  four  black 
heads  appeared  above  the  water,  close  to  the  swimmer,  and  then 
as  suddenly  disappeared. 

"  Steer  to  port !  "  shouted  one  of  the  crew,  who  had  his  sym- 
pathies aroused  for  the  unfortunate.  "  Steer  to  port !  "  he  con- 
tinued, "  or  the  alligators  will  make  mince  meat  of  you  in  no 
time." 

Don  Christo  heard  the  words,  but  he  did  not  understand  their 
meaning.  Therefore  he  kept  on  straight  for  the  point,  totally  un- 
conscious that  the  alligators  were  close  aboard  of  him,  and  that 
they  scented  him  like  bloodhounds  upon  the  land  in  pursuit  of  a 
negro. 

Other  heads  now  began  to  appear  in  different  parts  of  the  har- 
bor, and  then  as  suddenly  disappear,  but  still  the  Portuguese  was 
unmolested.  If  he  could  but  get  near  enough  to  the  land  to  touch 
bottom,  I  had  no  doubt  but  that  he  could  splash  the  water  and 
frighten  his  enemies  away ;  and  I  must  say  that  much  as  I  dis- 
liked the  man  and  his  conduct,  I  hoped  that  such  would  be  the 
case.  But  fate  had  no  such  good  fortune  in  store  for  him,  for 
there  was  a  sudden  rush  of  the  black  heads,  a  little  agitation  of 
the  water,  and  with  a  loud  yell  the  Portuguese  disappeared  from 
the  surface  and  was  seen  no  more.  The  many  crimes  which  he 
had  committed  were  fearfully  avenged. 

"  Well,"  said  Matthews,  taking  off  his  hat  and  looking  in  it  as 


A   TERRIBLE    DEATH.  251 

though  searching  for  something  that  would  give  effect  to  his  words, 
"  I  must  say  that  the  scamp  is  got  rid  of  arter  awhile,  but  it  was 
only  a  dog's  death  arter  all.  He  was  a  great  rascal,  but  I  don't 
think  that  I  bear  him  any  malice  now  that  he's  dead.  Ah,  it 
makes  a  man  sick  at  his  stomach  to  see  sich  things." 

The  old  fellow  was  hinting  for  a  glass  of  grog,  and  I  had  no 
objections  to  giving  him  one.  The  crew  were  called  aft,  and  the 
main  brace  spliced  in  a  most  satisfactory  manner. 

That  night,  at  sundown,  I  commenced  preparations  for  our  de- 
parture, for  a  gentle  breeze  was  blowing  off  shore,  and  we  had 
nothing  to  detain  us  longer  in  Mud  Creek.  We  run  a  line  out 
to  a  tree  near  the  entrance  of  the  harbor,  and  then  warped  the 
schooner  out  until  the  current  favored  us,  and  by  the  aid  of  sweeps 
cleared  the  narrow  passage,  and  were  enabled  to  make  sail  and 
shape  our  course  for  Cuba,  where  we  arrived  in  due  course  of  time, 
without  meeting  with  any  new  adventure  worth  relating. 


CHAPTER  XIH. 

CUBA     ONCE     MORE. A     NARROW     ESCAPE.  —  IN     PORT.  —  OUR 


IN  looking  over  the  late  Captain  Murphy's  papers,  I  had  found 
one  from  the  agents  at  Havana,  directing  him,  on  his  return 
voyage,  to  make  the  port  of  Castro  de  Lego,  instead  of  Rijeo,  as 
the  former  was  not  so  much  frequented  by  cruisers  unfriendly  to 
slavers.  The  letter  stated  that  if  we  made  the  port  in  the  night 
hime,  we  were  to  hoist  a  red  lantern  and  fire  three  rockets  of  dif- 
ferent colors,  and  then  wait  for  a  boat  to  board  us  and  receive 
instructions  what  to  do.  If  we  appeared  off  the  port  in  the  day- 
time, and  there  was  no  man-of-war  in  pursuit,  we  were  to  hoist 
the  home  flag  at  the  fore  with  a  pennant  underneath,  and  wait 
until  boarded. 

We  made  the  land  before  sundown,  and  just  as  a  fisherman 
was  setting  sail  for  home.  As  I  was  entirely  unacquainted  with 
the  harbor,  I  concluded  to  take  one  of  the  fishermen  as  a  pilot, 


252  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

and  for  this  purpose  edged  away  to  speak  him,  but  the  fellow 
was  evidently  a  little  suspicious  of  our  black  sides  and  immense 
spread  of  canvas,  and  as  we  kept  away  he  did  the  same,  until  we 
were  in  full  pursuit  of  the  small  craft.  Our  sailing  qualities  soon 
told  on  him,  and  we  ranged  alongside  just  as  he  was  about  to  put 
his  helm  hard  up,  and  jibe  over  to  the  opposite  course  from  that 
which  he  was  steering.  Before  he  had  time  to  do  so,  however,  I 
hailed,  and  the  sound  of  Spanish  language  reassured  the  three 
men  who  were  on  board. 

44  Run  alongside,"  I  said  ;  "  you  have  nothing  to  fear.  We  are 
honest  slavers,  and  desire  a  pilot,  and  will  pay  liberally  for  what 
we  want." 

The  skipper  of  the  boat  waved  his  hand,  suddenly  luffed  up  in 
time  to  catch  a  rope  thrown  from  the  schooner,  and  then  shot 
alongside,  and  we  continued  on  our  course  towards  the  land. 

44  Come  on  board,  captain,"  I  said  to  the  gray-headed  skipper 
who  had  charge  of  the  fishing-boat.  "  Come  on  board,  and  get  a 
drink  of  wine  that  will  warm  your  heart,  and  make  you  thank 
the  saints  you  fell  in  with  us." 

44  Bueno,  senor,  I  will  accept  of  your  hospitality  in  one  instant. 
My  sons  here  are  not  expert  in  the  management  of  the  btat,  and 
unless  I  instruct  them  they  will  let  her  chafe  against  the  side  of 
the  schooner." 

His  sons,  two  dark  young  fellows,  with  splendid  eyes,  only 
laughed  at  their  father's  anxiety,  and  did  not  seem  in  the  least 
displeased  by  it.  The  Spaniard,  after  a  sharp  glance  at  the  fend- 
ers, crawled  over  the  rail  in  the  most  dignified  manner,  and  landed 
upon  our  deck. 

4'  Come,  walk  below,"  I  said,  "  and  you  shall  drink  with  me." 

The  old  man's  face  brightened,  and  he  followed  me  to  the  cabin, 
where  Gracia  was  seated  reading  a  book. 

44  The  saints  forgive  me,  captain,"  cried  the  old  man,  starting 
back  and  removing  his  sombrero  from  his  grizzly  head,  4t  but  I 
had  no  idea  that  you  had  an  angel  on  board." 

A  woman  likes  to  be  called  an  angel,  whether  she  has  claims  to 
the  title  or  not.  Therefore  Gracia  smiled  and  laid  aside  her  book, 
and  looked  upon  the  old  man  with  more  interest  than  she  other- 
wise would  have  done,  had  not  a  little  flattery  been  acceptable. 

44  Ah,  captain,  you  should  be  a  happy  man,"  said  the  pilot,  as 
he  poured  out  a  glass  of  brandy ;  and,  bowing  to  the  lady,  swal- 
lowed it. 


GRACIA'S  FATHER.  253 

"Why  so?" 

"  Because  you  bave  a  handsome  lady  for  your  wife.  I  never 
saw  but  one  who  would  equal  her  in  attraction." 

44  And  who  was  that?"  asked  Gracia,  with  a  toss  of  her  pretty 
head. 

"  Who  but  the  daughter  of  Don  Ingracia,  of  San  Philippe.  Ah, 
well  do  I  remember  her  face.  It  was  like  the  Madonna  which  I 
see  Sunday  mornings  in  the  village  church,  when  I  confess  my 
sins  and  listen  to  mass." 

Gracia's  face  suddenly  paled  when  she  heard  her  father's  name 
mentioned,  and  I  must  confess  that  I  felt  somewhat  surprised. 

"Do  you  know  Don  Ingracia?"  I  asked,  after  a  moment's 
pause. 

"  I  visit  his  plantation  once  a  year,  and  I  am  always  welcome," 
was  the  answer. 

44  When  were  you  there  last?  "  I  asked. 

"  Let  me  see.  It  was  one  week  since,  when  I  carried  to  him 
a  cargo  of  wine  which  I  took  from  a  French  vessel.  The  Don 
is  choice  in  his  liquors,  and  likes  not  to  have  it  passed  through 
the  customs,  for  fear  the  law  will  spoil  its  flavor." 

"  And  the  old  gentleman  was  well?"  I  asked. 

44  He  was  far  from  being  well,  for  he  had  heard  bad  news," 
said  the  pilot,  emptying  his  glass  and  replenishing  it. 

Poor  Gracia  was  so  agitated  that  she  could  hardly  restrain  her 
tears.  She  motioned  for  me  to  continue  the  conversation,  and  I 
obeyed. 

44  Did  he  tell  you  the  bad  news  he  had  received?"  I  asked. 

44  There  was  no  need,  for  it  was  known  all  over  the  Plantation 
San  Philippe,  and  great  was  the  sorrow.  By  the  mass,  I  could 
have  cried  my  eyes  out  if  I  thought  it  would  have  done  any  good," 
was  the  hearty  answer. 

44  But  what  was  the  occasion  of  the  sorrow?"  I  asked. 

"  The  loss  of  the  Don's  beautiful  daughter  at  sea,  while  on  her 
passage  to  Spain.  She  was  the  image  of  your  wife,  seiior  cap- 
tain ;  so  it's  no  wonder  I  was  startled  when  I  entered  the  cabin." 

44  And  the  Don  is  certain  that  his  daughter  is  lost?"  I  asked. 

44 1  should  think  so.  When  I  was  at  the  plantation,  —  it  is 
only  ten  miles  from  the  little  port  of  Castro  de  Lego,  —  there  were 
present  two  officers  of  the  ship  Virgin,  on  board  of  which  the  lady 
was  a  passenger." 


254  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

"  And  they  brought  the  news?"  I  asked. 

"  The  saints  confound  them,  they  did.  They  said  that  the  first 
week  from  Havana  they  were  driven  from  their  course  by  a  hurri- 
cane, and  after  thy  got  pleasant  weather  they  began  to  make  the 
best  of  their  way  for  Cadiz  ;  but  one  afternoon  the  ship  was  dis- 
covered to  be  on  fire,  and  so  rapidly  did  she  burn  that  the  crew  had 
hardly  time  to  lower  the  boats  and  shove  off.  At  that  time  it  waa 
supposed  the  lady  Gracia  was  in  one  of  the  boats,  but  after 
the  ship  blew  up,  with  a  thundering  report,  she  was  missed,  and 
must  have  went  down  with  the  wreck.  The  officers  said  that  the 
passengers  were  all  on  deck  at  the  time  the  boats  were  lowered, 
and  they  can't  account  for  the  lady's  being  left  behind." 

The  officers,  I  thought,  must  have  told  a  pretty  good  story, 
for  the  Virgin  was  only  on  fire  in  her  forward  part  when  I  boarded 
her  and  secured  Gracia.  I  thought  at  the  time,  and  I  have  thought 
since,  that  the  vessel  could  have  been  saved,  if  the  officers  and  crew 
had  worked  vigilantly  and  with  proper  discipline.  I  saw  at  once 
that  the  crew  were  desirous  of  making  out  a  good  story  to  the 
Don,  for  the  purpose  of  shielding  their  own  cowardly  actions. 

"  And  how  were  the  rest  of  the  passengers  saved?  "  I  asked. 

"  They  were  picked  up  by  a  vessel  bound  to  Havana,  and  ar- 
rived safe.  For  two  days  they  were  in  the  boats,  with  only  a 
drop  of  water  and  a  buscuit  to  divide  for  each  man.  Didble,  but 
they  must  have  suffered  some.  But  a  Spaniard  knows  how  to 
suffer,  and  bear  with  fortitude  hunger  and  thirst ; "  and  the  old 
man  took  another  pull  at  the  bottle  before  him. 

"  Are  the  officers  still  at  San  Philippe  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Are  they  not?  Does  not  the  patron  send  for  them  once  a  day, 
and  hear  their  story  ;  and  then  shut  himself  up  and  cry  until  it  is 
time  for  him  to  listen  to  more  yarns." 

Gracia  covered  her  face  with  her  hands,  and  sobbed  as  she 
thought  of  her  father.  I  spoke  a  few  words  of  consolation  to  her 
in  English,  but  her  agitation  attracted  the  attention  of  the  pilot. 

"  Captain,  your  wife  is  crying,"  he  said. 

"  'Tis  with  sympathy  for  the  unfortunate  lady,  who  was  so 
beautiful,  and  who  died  so  young,".  I  remarked. 

"Ah,  then  the  tears  are  holy,  and  should  flow  on,  for  the 
cause  of  them  was  the  most  beautiful  virgin  that  the  isle  of  Cuba 
could  boast  of.  Her  eyes  were  like  stars ;  her  hair  was  as 
wavy  as  the  ocean  ;  her  teeth  were  like  its  pearls  ;  her  form  was 


A   POETICAL   FISHERMAN.  255 

like  that  of  Venus,  and  her  breath  was  like  the  breeze  from  an 
orange  grove  in  blossom.*' 

"Bravo,  old  man!"  I  cried,  "  the  liquor  has  warmed  your 
blood,  and  you  grow  enthusiastic  and  poetical.  But  take  care. 
You  will  spoil  my  wife  by  your  remarks." 

"How  so?" 

"  Why,  did  you  not  say  that  she  was  like  the  lost  Gracia?" 

"  So  I  did  ;  but  this  lady  has  eyes  not  quite  as  large,  and  is  a 
few  years  older  than  the  Gracia  of  San  Philippe." 

u  Do  you  hear,  darling,"  I  said.  "  He  has  arrived  at  the  con- 
clusion that  you  are  not  so  beautiful  as  the  lost  lady." 

Gracia  smiled,  but  remained  silent. 

44  Yes,  the  lady  is  very  beautiful,  but  it's  no  disparagement  to 
say  that  she  is  not  quite  equal  to  the  lady  Gracia.  Ah,  she  was 
very  fair." 

44  And  her  father  is  very  rich?"  I  asked. 

"  Ah,  I  should  think  he  was,"  replied  the  pilot.  "  Ten  thou- 
sand acres  of  land,  and  one  thousand  slaves  to  hoe  his  sugar  and 
clear  his  plantations,  are  evidence  of  wealth  few  can  boast  of. 

The  old  man  left  the  cabin,  for  the  steward  entered  to  lay  the 
cloth  for  supper,  and  went  on  deck. 

I  wished  to  prevent  Don  Ingracia  from  hearing  of  his  daughter 
until  such  time  as  I  was  disposed  to  inform  him,  for  I  knew  that 
if  he  should  learn  that  she  was  on  board  the  Coquette,  that  he 
would  instantly  demand  her,  and  back  his  demand  with  all  the 
force  in  the  vicinity  ;  and  I  was  not  disposed  to  be  taken  unawares, 
and  have  to  fight  my  way  to  sea  with  slaves  on  board. 

I  made  up  my  mind  what  to  do  instantly.  I  left  the  pilot  tak- 
ing the  bearings  of  the  highland,  broad  off  our  starboard  bow, 
which  overlooked  the  harbor  of  Castro  de  Lego,  and  walked  for- 
ward amongst  the  men  who  were  eating  their  supper. 

"  How  does  the  fish  go,  boys?"  I  asked. 

46  Well,  sir,  it  tastes  a  little  better  than  old  hoss,"  answered 
one  of  the  men. 

44  We'll  soon  have  somethin*  better  than  fish,"  said  one  of  the 
old  salts,  who  was  thinking  of  his  liquor. 

44 1  hope  that  you  will,"  I  replied  ;  "  but  of  one  thing  I  wish  to 
give  you  warning.  You  must  not  lisp  a  word  to  any  one  that  we 
fell  in  with  a  burning  vessel  and  took  off  a  lady.  If  you  do  we 
shall  lose  some  of  the  gold  we  have  stored  on  board,  for  the 


256  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

owners  will  come  in  for  a  share.  No  matter  how  drunk  you  get, 
keep  this  in  your  thoughts." 

This  information  made  them  look  serious,  and  every  man  prom- 
ised that  not  a  word  should  be  spoken  regarding  the  burning  ves- 
sel, excepting  such  as  I  might  direct. 

By  the  time  we  had  finished  supper  it  was  nearly  dark,  and 
we  repaired  to  the  deck  to  smoke  our  cigars.  The  wind  still  held 
good,  and  we  were  rapidly  nearing  the  land,  beneath  the  shadow 
of  which  many  eyes  had  been  directed  in  the  expectation  that  a 
cruiser  might  be  lurking,  ready  to  pounce  upon  us,  and  deprive  us 
of  our  hard  earned  riches.  But  the  coast  was  clear  as  far  as  we 
could  see,  and  the  men  began  to  bet  regarding  the  time  we  should 
drop  anchor,  and  be  safe  from  the  searching  eyes  of  English- 
men. 

The  night  was  delightfully  clear  overhead,  with  the  heavens 
studded  with  stars,  whose  reflection  in  the  water,  as  it  rose  and 
fell,  seemed  to  make  our  course  through  fields  of  diamonds,  all 
flashing  a  welcome  at  our  approach.  In  company  with  Gracia,  I 
leaned  over  the  rail,  and  spoke  to  her  in  a  low  tone  at  the  pros- 
pect of  its  being  our  last  night  at  sea.  From  this  I  was  aroused 
by  the  pilot,  who  seemed  to  think  we  were  near  enough  to  the 
harbor  to  make  the  signals,  by  which  those  on  shore  should  know 
us,  and  come  off  with  orders. 

"  Senor  captain,"  said  the  pilot,  "  yonder  is  the  harbor  of  Castro 
de  Lego,  nestled  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain  which  you  see  on  our 
larboard  side,  like  a  child  at  its  mother's  feet.  We  are  not  more 
than  one  league  from  the  anchorage,  and  if  you  wish  to  make  sig- 
nals, now  is  the  time,  for,  unless  there  is  a  fandango  in  town, 
the  people  retire  early.  We  will  haul  upon  the  wind  and  wait, 
if  you  are  disposed  to  say  the  word,  or  I  can  pick  out  a  soft  spot 
for  the  mud-hook,  and  in  fifteen  minutes  it  will  be  down." 

"  And  supposing  that  when  we  opened  our  eyes  in  the  morn- 
ing, we  should  find  ourselves  under  the  guns  of  an  English  frig- 
ate?" I  asked. 

"  Ah,  but  that  would  be  awkward  and  embarrassing  to  be  sure, 
and  there  would  be  no  chance  to  run  for  it.  We  will  shorten  sail, 
then,  and  heave  to.  For  the  Spaniards  say  that  it  is  better  to  be 
certain  than  uncertain  in  love  and  in  war." 

Sail  was  reduced  in  a  moment,  and  the  schooner  luffed  up  and 
the  jib  drawn  to  the  windward. 


A   STORM.  257 

Up  went  a  rocket,  sending  sparks  through  the  air,  which  glit- 
tered for  a  moment,  like  a  shower  of  shooting  stars,  and  then  dis- 
appeared' from  view.  A  second  and  third  followed,  and  then  we 
waited  with  patience  for  a  response  from  the  shore  ;  but  an  hour 
passed,  and  no  boat  appeared  to  direct  us  what  to  do. 

"  Perhaps  we  had  better  edge  in  towards  the  harbor,"  said  the 
pilot,  at  length.  "  Black  clouds  are  rising  in  the  south'ard,  and 
I  should  not  be  surprised  if  we  caught  a  squall  before  the  midnight 
watch.  Besides,  who  knows  but  some  rascally  Englishman  is 
poking  his  nose  along  the  coast,  and  may  have  seen  our  rockets  ?  " 

The  weather  did  look  threatening.  The  black  clouds  had  arisen 
with  a  suddenness  peculiar  to  the  tropics,  and  already  long  flashes 
of  lightning  were  to  be  seen  darting  through  the  heavens,  as  though 
charged  with  messages  for  the  wind  to  concentrate  at  one  point, 
and  have  a  frolic  at  the  expense  of  the  shipping  to  be  found  at 
sea. 

We  edged  away  towards  the  mouth  of  the  harbor,  running  under 
easy  sail  —  the  jib  and  mainsail;  but  before  we  had  sailed  a 
cable's  length  a  gust  of  wind  overtook  us,  and  a  crash  of  thunder 
burst  overhead,  loud  enough  to  have  answered  for  the  report  of  a 
three  decker's  broadside. 

"  With  the  rain  will  come  the  wind,"  muttered  the  old  pilot. 
"  We  had  better  make  for  the  port,  or  we  shall  find  ourselves 
jammed  on  a  lee  shore,  and  no  chance  to  get  off." 

The  weather  grew  more  threatening  every  moment.  Huge 
masses  of  angry-looking  black  clouds  were  gathering  astern,  and 
the  wind  began  to  sigh  through  the  rigging,  and  the  rain  fell  in 
large  drops  —  an  assurance  of  what  was  to  come. 

"  What  shall  I  do?"  asked  the  pilot.  u  We  are  going  to  have 
a  squall,  and  perhaps  a  hurricane.  In  an  hour's  time  the  shore 
will  be  lashed  by  a  surf  that  wood  and  iron  cannot  withstand, 
even  for  a  moment.  We  might  work  off,  but  the  chances  are 
against  us.  If  we  mean  to  make  for  the  harbor  we  have  none 
too  much  time,  for  it  is  fast  being  shut  in.  I'm  ready  to  obey 
orders,  although  I'm  not  ready  to  die." 

I  did  not  hesitate  a  moment  longer.  The  safety  of  Gracia  was 
too  great  a  consideration  for  me  to  delay. 

"  Take  us  in  if  you  can,"  I  said,  "  and  remember  that  not  one 
ounce,  but  a  dozen,  shall  be  your  reward." 
17 


258  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

"  The  saints  have  me  in  their  keeping,  senor ;  and  if  good  St. 
Antonio  will  but  befriend  me,  the  money  will  be  mine." 

As  he  spoke  the  squall  struck  the  schooner,  but  we  were  well 
prepared  for  it  under  a  balance  reefed  mainsail  and  the  bonnet 
off  the  jib.  Still  the  wind  was  sufficient  to  nearly  lift  the  schooner 
out  of  the  water,  and  send  her  bounding  towards  the  land  at  the 
rate  of  ten  knots  per  hour. 

"  Get  the  men  mustered,"  I  said  to  Matthews,  who  stood  near 
me  on  the  quarter-deck,  holding  on  by  a  back-stay,  "  and  station 
them  so  that  we  can  douse  all  sail  immediately.  See  the  anchors 
and  chains  clear,  and  ready  for  a  run,  for  we  shall  bring  up  sud- 
denly." 

The  mate  worked  his  way  along  the  deck  and  mustered  the 
crew,  who  were  clustering  around  the  windlass,  all  their  fond 
hopes  and  anticipations  suddenly  dashed  by  the  force  and  violence 
of  the  gale  and  the  uncertainty  of  their  fate. 

Two  of  the  best  seamen  on  board  of  the  schooner  were  stationed 
at  the  wheel,  with  orders  to  keep  the  vessel  east  by  north,  and 
steer  small.  The  wind  increased  to  such  an  extent  that  we  were 
soon  compelled  to  run  under  bare  poles,  and  if  we  had  shown  a 
stitch  of  canvas  it  would  have  been  blown  from  the  bolt  ropes. 

The  Coquette  steered  like  a  pilot  boat,  and  as  she  rose  on  the 
swells  which  were  rushing  towards  the  coast,  she  would  bow  her 
head,  and  seem  to  be  plunging  to  the  bottom  with  all  possible  de- 
spatch ;  but  the  next  moment  she  would  shake  the  water  from  her 
decks  and  rise  like  a  duck,  ready  for  a  fresh  encounter. 

Suddenly  the  waves,  instead  of  rolling  regularly  towards  the 
shore,  began  to  boil  and  bubble  as  though  we  had  struck  half  a 
dozen  cross  currents,  each  one  of  which  was  striving  for  the  su- 
premacy. The  water  was  lashed  to  a  foam,  and  surged  high 
above  our  decks,  at  times  falling  upon  them  with  a  crash  that 
made  the  Coquette  tremble  from  truck  to  keelson,  and  caused  the 
negroes  to  howl  with  renewed  violence. 

The  pilot  put  his  head  close  to  mine,  and  shouted,  — 

"  A  few  seconds  more  and  we  shall  be  safe,  or  food  for  fishes." 

I  made  no  reply,  but  awaited  the  shock  that  was  to  consign  us 
te  eternity,  with  considerable  composure.  I  had  made  up  my 
mind  to  seek  Gracia  the  instant  the  vessel  struck,  and  die  with 
her  in  my  arms  ;  but  the  saints  be  praised,  I  was  not  called  upon 
for  such  a  display  of  love,  for  the  waves  which  but  a  moment 


A   NARROW   ESCAPE.  259 

before  were  so  troubled,  suddenly  became  calm,  and  even  the  wind 
abated  some  of  its  violence. 

"  Port  your  helm  a  little  !  "  shouted  the  pilot  to  the  men  at  the 
wheel. 

"  Port  it  is,  sir,"  answered  the  men. 

The  schooner  obeyed  the  helm  quickly,  although  under  no  sail. 
For  a  few  moments  we  run  along,  the  water  growing  smoother 
each  second,  and  had  it  not  been  for  the  darkness,  rain,  and 
thunder  and  lightning,  I  should  hardly  have  believed  that  a  few 
minutes  befote  we  were  in  the  midst  of  a  hurricane. 

"  Eh,  captain,"  said  the  pilot,  "  you  and  your  vessel  are  safe, 
but  it  was  a  narrow  chance." 

An  anchor  was  dropped,  and  forty-five  fathoms  of  chain  payed 
out,  and  soon  the  Coquette  swung  round  stern  on  to  the  town,  which 
seemed  deserted,  for  not  a  light  was  to  be  seen.  The  men  rolled 
up  the  sails  in  silence.  They  were  so  thankful  at  their  wonderful 
escape  from  death,  that  they  could  only  express  it  in  that  man- 
ner. 

Before  daylight  the  next  morning  I  was  on  deck,  and  found 
the  air  soft  and  balmy,  and  a  gentle  breeze  blowing  from  the 
shore.  We  were  anchored  about  two  cable  lengths  from  the  land, 
and  if  we  had  had  daylight  could  not  have  chosen  a  more  ad- 
vantageous spot,  either  for  receiving  or  landing  a  cargo.  Mat- 
thews was  on  deck,  and  had  been  there  all  night. 

"  A  narrow  squeak  of  it  last  night,  sir,"  said  Matthews.  "  I 
thought  at  one  time  that  we  was  goners,  and  I  would  have  sold 
out  my  stock  in  the  cargo  and  share  of  fun  in  this  world  at  a  low 
figure." 

While  Matthews  was  speaking  I  observed  a  boat,  manned  by 
two  men,  and  a  passenger  in  the  stern-sheets,  shove  off  from  the 
pier,  and  row  towards  us.  The  boat  came  alongside,  and  over 
the  rail  jumped  a  young,  and  good-looking  Spaniard,  whom  I  did 
not  recognize  at  first,  owing  to  his  straw  hat  being  slouched  over 
his  eyes. 

"  Where's  Captain  Murphy?"  the  visitor  asked  of  Matthews, 
who  received  him. 

"  Well,  I  expect  that  he's  dead  and  buried  on  the  Gabun,"  was 
the  reply,  in  an  indifferent  tone. 

"  Where's  Mr.  Robert?"  the  stranger  asked,  eagerly. 

Then  I  knew  who  our  visitor  was. 


260  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

"  Francisco  !  "  I  exclaimed,  going  up  to  my  old  Havana  friend, 
and  seizing  his  hand ;  and  as  I  did  so  caught  sight  of  the  dia- 
mond ring  which  I  had  given  him  when  we  parted.  He  had 
promised  me  always  to  wear  it,  and  I  was  gratified  to  think  he 
had  kept  his  word. 

For  a  moment  he  was  too  much  pleased  to  speak  to  me,  and 
could  only  shake  my  hand,  and  look  into  my  face  with  humid  eyes. 

44  And  is  it  possible  that  Murphy  is  dead,  and  you  have  com- 
mand of  the  schooner  ?  "  Francisco  asked. 

"  It  is  true,"  I  replied. 

44  My  dear  friend,"  he  said,  "  I  congratulate  you.  Your  for- 
tune is  now  made  sure,  and  a  bright  prospect  is  before  you.  I 
truly  rejoice  at  your  good  luck.  But  tell  me  of  another.  Where 
is  the  sweet  Isadora?" 

44  She,  too,  is  dead,"  I  replied,  mournfully ;  for  I  still  felt  some 
pangs  of  remorse  at  my  treatment  of  the  poor  girl. 

"  The  saints  protect  me,  but  death  has  been  busy  on  board. 
Tell  me  how  it  happened  ?  " 

I  took  my  friend  one  side,  and  told  him  of  the  violent  death  of 
Murphy  at  the  hands  of  the  men,  and  of  Isadora  by  fever. 

44  Now  tell  me  how  you  came  in  this  part  of  the  island?"  I 
asked. 

44  Nothing  more  simple.  Our  regular  landing  agent  is  sick, 
and  the  Havana  house  sent  me  here  a  week  ago  to  look  out  for 
you." 

u  And  a  bright  look  out  you  must  have  kept,"  I  replied,  laugh- 
ing. "  I  hove  to,  off  the  port,  last  evening,  and  sent  up  three  as 
bright  rockets  as  can  be  found  in  Havana,  but  no  agent  made  his 
appearance.  Possibly  he  was  whispering  to  some  dark-eyed  senor- 
ita  a  tale  of  eternal  constancy." 

44  By  the  saints,  no,"  replied  Francisco,  laughing.  "  I  saw 
your  signals,  and  was  about  starting  to  board  you,  when  the  boat- 
men pointed  to  a  black  cloud  which  was  rapidly  rising  to  the 
windward,  and  said  the  squall  looked  threatening,  and  that  I  had 
better  wait.  Faith  I  did  wait»  and  the  slight  squall  proved  to  be 
a  hurricane,  and  did  not  abate  until  long  past  midnight.  Now, 
then,  let  us  talk  of  business.  How  many  negroes  have  you  oo 
board?" 

44  Four  hundred  and  odd,"  I  replied. 

44  And  how  many  have  died  on  the  passage  ?  " 


AN   INTRODUCTION.  261 

"  Not  over  twenty." 

u  Are  they  well  and  likely? " 

u  You  can  hear  the  rogues  grumbling  for  their  breakfast.  That 
is  a  good  sign,  I  take  it." 

"  Capital.     Now,  how  much  did  you  pay  for  them  per  head  ?  " 

Francisco  wrote  my  answers- down  in  his  memorandum  book. 

"  For  four  hundred  and  fifty  I  paid  at  the  rate  of  twenty  dol- 
lars in  trade,  which  would  be  equal  to  ten  dollars  in  cash.  For 
twenty-five  I  paid  nothing." 

"How?" 

"  I  mean  that  two  canoe-loads  of  natives,  led  on  by  a  Portu- 
guese, made  an  attempt  to  take  the  schooner,  but  instead  of  doing 
so,  got  taken  themselves.  We  picked  out  the  sound  ones,  and  set 
the  wounded  on  shore.  The  rascals  we  have  on  board  flourished 
amazingly  well,  for  not  one  of  them  has  died." 

"  My  dear  friend,"  exclaimed  Francisco,  "  I  congratulate  you 
most  sincerely,  for  you  know  that  the  agents  only  demand  one 
third  of  what  negroes  are  worth  when  captured  in  such  a  man- 
ner. One  third  goes  to  the  commander,  and  the  other  third  to 
the  men." 

"  I  knew  nothing  of  such  a  law  or  custom,"  I  replied. 

"  Then  it  is  very  fortunate  that  I  am  on  the  ground  to  give  you 
the  information,  for  some  houses  would  have  cheated  you  most 
shamefully.  But  what  other  piece  of  good  luck  has  befallen 
you?" 

Just  as  he  spoke,  who  should  leave  the  cabin  but  Gracia !  At 
sight  of  her  beautiful  face  the  Spaniard,  with  an  expression  of 
surprise,  removed  his  hat  and  bowed  low,  as  though  paying  trib- 
ute to  a  saint. 

I  enjoyed  the  astonishment  of  Francisco  for  a  moment  without 
speaking. 

"  Gracia,"  I  said,  at  length,  "  this  is  the  .gentleman  whom  you 
have  heard  me  speak  of  so  many  times.  It  is  my  friend  Fran- 
cisco." 

Again  did  the  Spaniard  bow  low  in  acknowldgment  of  her 
slight  nod ;  and  then  the  lady,  seeing  that  we  were  discussing 
business  matters,  turned  away  and  walked  aft.  Francisco  fol- 
lowed her  with  his  eyes,  and  could  restrain  his  curiosity  no 
longer. 

"  Tell  me,"  he  cried,  "  who  that  angel  is,  for  never  did  I  see  a 
woman  so  lovely." 


262  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

"  Do  you  remember  the  ship  Virgin,  which  left  Havana  some 
months  since  for  Spain  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Of  course  I  do.  She  carried  as  passengers  some  of  the  most 
distinguished  families  of  Cuba,  and  among  them  was  the  only 
child  of  Don  Ingracia  of  San  Filipe." 

"  My  dear  friend,"  I  said,  "  I  pledge  you  my  word  that  the 
lady  you  just  bowed  to  is  an  exact  picture  of  Don  Ingracia's 
daughter." 

"  How  —  have  you  seen  her,  then?" 

"  In  fact  I  am  looking  at  her  now,"  I  replied,  with  a  smile  at 
Gracia,  which  she  repaid  with  interest. 

"  My  friend,"  said  Francisco,  quite  gravely,  "  I  fear  that  the 
storm  of  last  night  has  turned  your  head,  or  you  think  that  it  is 
All  Fools'  Day.  Go  below  and  sleep,  and  I'll  look  after  the  vessel 
until  you  feel  better." 

"  I  never  joke  with  my  friends,"  I  replied,  so  gravely  that 
Francisco  was  staggered.  "  You  have  seen  me  at  times  when  to 
joke  was  death,  and  I  have  not  changed." 

Francisca  was  silent. 

"  I  told  you  seriously  that  I  was  looking  at  the  lady  Gracia 
Ingracia,  and  I  repeat  the  statement.  The  lady  you  see  on  board 
is  the  daughter  of  Don  Ingracia  of  San  Filipe." 

"  And  how  in  the  name  of  the  saints  did  she  happen  to  be  on 
board,  when  report  says  she  was  burned  on  board  of  the  Virgin  ? 
The  officers  of  the  ship  say  so." 

"Then  the  officers  of  the  ship  tell  most  outrageous  lies  to 
screen  their  cowardly  conduct,"  I  replied. 

"  Prove  it,"  said  Francisco,  promptly,  somewhat  sensitive  at 
the  reflection  cast  upon  his  countrymen. 

I  gave  him  an  account  of  the  manner  in  which  I  had  rescued 
Gracia  from  the  burning  ship. 

"  And  the  gold?  "  asked  Francisco.     " How  much  is  there? " 

"  According  to  the  bills  found  with  the  treasure,  about  three  hun- 
dred thousand  dollars." 

"  Diablo,  but  you  are  lucky,"  muttered  Francisco.  "  Such 
luck  does  not  happen  often,  and  you  must  make  the  most  of  it.  I 
am  glad  to  congratulate  you  on  your  good  fortune.  Yes,"  he  con- 
tinued, "  this  can  be  called  the  best  voyage  that  was  ever  made 
to  Cuba.  A  few  more  like  it,  and  we  can  call  you  a  million- 


LANDING   SLAVES.  263 

"  Then  I  am  likely  to  remain  without  that  enviable  title,"  I 
remarked,  u  for  this  is  the  last  trip  for  slaves  I  shall  make." 

"  What !  throw  away  all  your  golden  chances? " 

"  Yes,  as  far  as  the  slave  trade  is  concerned." 

"  But  what  will  the  agents  say?  " 

"  I  do  not  know,  and  shall  not  care  much.  I  have  other 
thoughts,  and  other  aspirations." 

"  Ah,  I  see.  The  lady  has  weaned  you  from  the  thoughts  of 
profits  to  more  pleasing  emotions,"  Francisco  said,  after'a  moment's 
pause  ;  and  then  continued,  "  I  do  not  blame  you,  but  you  have  a 
different  course  before  you  if  you  hope  to  succeed,  but  that  you 
will  ultimately  win  I  have  no  doubt.  It  will  be  characteristic 
of  the  American  character.  I  must  help  you  here  with  ray  poor 
abilities,  and  perhaps  I  can  be  of  some  use  to  you.  Who  knows  ?  " 

"  Whatever  help  you  can  give  me  I  shall  appreciate,"  I  said. 

" 1  know  it  —  I  know  it.  But  we  will  talk  of  this  matter  an- 
other time.  Now  we  must  go  to  work  and  land  the  slaves  as 
fast  as  possible,  for  it  would  not  do  to  have  an  English  man-of- 
war  poke  its  nose  in  the  harbor  just  at  this  time." 

"  Who  takes  the  slaves?  "  I  asked. 

"  Your  intended  father-in-law  has  purchased  two  hundred,  and 
his  neighbor,  Don  Enrique,  the  balance.  Ah,  here  come  the 
launches  to  remove  the  fat  fellows,  and  yonder  is  the  escort  to 
drive  the  slaves  to  the  plantation,  where  they  will  be  taught  civili- 
zation and  the  art  of  cultivating  sugar." 

A  dozen  mounted  men  appeared  upon  a  small  knoll  that  over- 
looked the  town,  and  waved  a  handkerchief. 

"  That  means  the  coast  is  clear,  and  we  may  get  to  work  at 
once.  -  If  you  will  set  the  men  getting  up  the  slaves,  I  will 
write  a  letter  to  the  agents,  and  send  it  off  by  a  special  cou- 
rier. He  will  reach  Havana  this  evening,  and  be  back  to-morrow 
night." 

By  twelve  o'clock  every  slave  was  landed  and  on  their  way  to 
the  plantation  where  they  were  to  spend  their  lives,  and  become 
civilized,  according  to  the  Spanish  idea  of  such  things ;  and  as 
soon  as  they  were  out  of  the  way,  the  slave  deck  and  all  the 
unnecessary  lumber  on  board  were  also  sent  on  shore,  and  safely 
stowed  away  until  again  wanted. 

A  bag  of  doubloons  was  sent  to  the  head  of  the  government 
with  the  respects  of  the  agent,  and  after  the  governor  was  satis- 


264  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

fied  it  was  easy  to  propitiate  the  favor  of  the  members  of  the 
the  council ;  no  one  objected  if  a  thousand  slaves  were  landed  in 
daylight,  and  in  the  heart  of  a  populous  town. 

The  house  which  owned  the  Coquette  was  the  most  wealthy 
and  respectable  in  Havana.  The  senior  members  of  the  firm  had 
been  engaged  in  the  trade  for  many  years,  and  fortune  had  fa- 
vored them  beyond  all  precedent.  They  knew  to  an  ounce  how 
much  a  man  could  be  bought  for,  from  the  governor  general  down 
to  the  meanest  officer  in  the  custom-house.  Hence  there  wa* 
never  any  trouble  when  one  of  their  vessels  arrived.  Everything 
was  made  right  at  once,  and  no  unnecessary  delay  ensued. 

As  soon  as  the  lumber  was  landed,  half  a  dozen  of  the  best 
and  most  trustworthy  men  were  employed  to  remove  the  boxes 
of  treasure  on  shore  and  carry  them  to  the  custom-house  ;  while 
the  rest  of  the  crew  were  set  at  work  scrubbing  the  hold,  and  en- 
deavoring by  means  of  lime  and  lime-water  to  eradicate  the  stench, 
which  is  one  of  the  unpleasant  features  connected  with  the  slave 
traffic. 

The  treasure  was  safely  housed  and  locked  up  in  a  huge  vault, 
which  was  once  used  to  secure  the  government  money  and  papers, 
when  Castro  de  Lego  was  a  port  of  some  importance  ;  and  to  in- 
sure the  safety  of  the  money  a  guard  of  six  soldiers  was  stationed 
in  front  of  the  vault  to  watch  it  night  and  day,  and  for  this  ser- 
vice the  captain  of  the  port  received  twenty-five  ounces;  and 
grateful  enough  he  was  for  them,  for  it  was  the  first  bribe  he  had 
received  for  many  months. 

In  the  mean  time  Francisco  had  sent  off  his  despatch  by  an  of- 
ficial courier,  who  had  orders  not  to  spare  horse-flesh  until  the 
letter  was  safe  in  the  hands  of  the  senior  member  of  the  firm  of 
Riejo  &  Neli,  of  Havana ;  and,  until  an  answer  was  received, 
we  had  nothing  to  do  but  enjoy  ourselves  the  best  way  we  could. 
Next  evening  Francisco  came  on  board  highly  elated. 

"  I've  received  a  despatch,"  he  cried,  "  and  the  house  is  de- 
lighted with  your  conduct.  You  are  to  send  the  men  to  Havana 
for  their  pay,  and  go  yourself  when  it  suits  your  convenience.  The 
vessel  is  under  your  charge  until  you  resign  the  command,  but 
this  the  house  won't  listen  to.  To-morrow  we  cau  leave  for  the 
plantation  of  San  Filipe." 

But  the  news  was  not  pleasant  to  Gracia  or  myself,  for  we 
dreaded  to  meet  Don  Ingracia. 


OFF    FOR   SAN   FILIPE.  265 

The  next  morning  I  collected  all  the  men,  and  packed  them, 
bag  and  baggage,  on  board  a  fisherman,  and  sent  them  to  Ha- 
vana, each  one  bearing  a  small  slip  of  paper,  stating  the  number 
of  days  that  he  had  been  on  board,  and  whether  his  conduct  was 
such  as  entitled  him  to  receive  full  pay  for  the  trip.  As  for 
Matthews,  he  preferred  to  remain  on  board  of  the  schooner,  and 
take  charge  of  her  until  I  had  decided  what  to  do.  He  had  grown 
penurious  all  of  a  sudden,  and  determined  to  save  what  he -could 
to  support  himself  in  his  old  age.  To  keep  him  company  I  hired 
the  pilot  and  his  two  sons  to  stop  on  board  the  vessel,  and  glad 
enough  they  were  of  the  chance. 

u  Now,"  said  Francisco,  "  if  you  have  completed  your  arrange- 
ments we  will  start  on  our  important  business.  I  have  hired  the 
only  vehicle  in  town  to  take  you  and  the  lady,  while  I  will  mount 
a  horse." 

Gracia  was  all  dressed  and  ready,  although  nervous  at  the 
thought  of  meeting  her  father.  We  entered  a  boat,  and  "were 
pulled  on  shore,  and  at  the  landing  found  an  antique-looking 
carriage,  with  one  sear,  two  wheels,  and  a  postilion,  who,  with 
jack-boots  and  short  whip,  was  mounted  on  one  of  the  animals, 
and  leisurely  smoking  a  cigar. 

Francisco  entertained  us  with  anecdotes  regarding  the  country 
through  which  we  were  travelling*  until  at  length  we  gained  the 
broad  lands  of  Don  Ingracia,  through  which  we  passed  for  an 
hour,  with  gangs  of  negroes  at  work  in  sugar  fields  and  coffee 
groves. 

"  La  casa,  senor,"  shouted  the  postilion,  with  a  crack  of  his 
whip,  pointing  to  a  large  mansion  ^which  could  be  seen  through 
the  foliage  that  surrounded  it. 

The  house  was  painted  white,  and  surrounded  by  piazzas.  It 
was  only  one  and  a  half  stories  high,  but  covered  nearly  half  an 
acre  with  its  additions,  which  had  been  built  on  to  suit  the  con- 
venience of  the  owner.  In  front  was  a  large  flower  garden,  where 
the  choicest  kinds  of  flowers  were  flourishing  in  all  the  glory  of 
tints  which  a  tropical  sun  could  give  them.  We  turned  up  a 
winding  road,  shaded  by  stately  pines,  and  after  a  drive  of  a  few 
minutes  stopped  before  the  door  of  Don  Ingracia's  mansion,  where 
three  or  four  slaves  were  standing  as  though  ready  to  receive 
company. 

44  Is  Don  Ingracia  at  home?  "asked  Francisco  of  the  negro 
who  appeared  to  have  charge  of  the  front  part  of  the  house. 


266  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

"  He  is  at  home,  but  can't  be  seen,  senor,"  was  the  reply. 

"  How  do  you  know  that  such  is  the  case?"  demanded  Fran- 
cisco, sharply. 

"Because,  senor,  he  has  given  orders  that  only  two  persons 
shall  be  admitted  to  his  presence,"  replied  the  negro,  somewhat 
awed  by  the  sharpness  of  my  friend's  tone. 

"  We  have  come  a  long  distance  to  see  the  Don  on  business, 
and  we'll  not  leave  until  our  errand  is  accomplished,"  cried 
Francisco,  dismounting,  an  example  that  Gracia  and  myself  were 
not  slow  to  follow  ;  and  although  our  boldness  made  the  negroes 
stare,  they  did  not  utter  a  word  in  remonstrance. 

"  Drive  the  horses  to  the  stable,  and  feed  them,"  said  Fran- 
cisco. 

One  of  the  negroes  touched  a  bell  for  the  stable  servants  to 
make  their  appearance,  and  then  stood  staring  at  us  as  though 
anxious  to  know  what  our  next  order  would  be.  Gracia  was  so 
closely  veiled  that  her  face  could  not  be  seen.  Just  at  that  mo- 
ment two  men,  whom  I  knew  to  be  seamen  by  their  sunburnt 
faces,  hove  in  sight,  and  came  rolling  towards  the  door  as  though 
they  were  the  lords  of  the  house  and  lands  adjoining.  The  slaves 
became  wonderfully  attentive  in  an  instant,  and  removed  their 
straw  hats  with  the  utmost  mark  of  respect. 

"  Senors  Pedro  and  Antonio,"  cried  the  head  slave,  u  the  Don 
Ingracia  has  asked  for  you,  and  is  now  awaiting  your  arrival." 

41  Ah,  is  he?  "  was  the  indifferent  reply.  "  Well,  we  must  go 
and  see  him." 

"  Robert,"  whispered  Gracia,  "  those  two  men  were  officers  oil 
board  of  the  Virgin." 

u  Ah,  indeed.  Then  we  will  soon  put  them  to  flight,  and  they 
will  leave  with  more  haste  than  they  did  when  the  ship  was  on 
fire.  Wait  with  patience,  my  dear." 

"  But  I  have  no  patience  when  I  see  such  wretches  received 
with  honor,  and  you  and  your  friend  treated  with  coldness." 

I  smiled  and  pressed  her  hand. 

"  Shall  I  tell  the  Don  you  will  immediately  wait  upon  him, 
senors,"  asked  the  negro,  addressing  the  seamen. 

"  Yes  ;  you  heave  ahead,  and  we'll  follow  you,"  was  the  reply  ; 
and  the  two  officers,  after  casting  an  inquiring  glance  upon  our 
party,  prepared  to  follow  the  slave  into  the  presence  of  Gracia's 
father,  and  once  more  repeat  the  tale  of  their  desperate  attempts 
to  save  his  child. 


DON    INGRACIA.  267 

"  Wait  one  moment,"  cried  Francisco,  in  a  commanding  tone 
to  the  slave,  and  the  fellow  paused  instantly.  "  Tell  your  master 
that  two  gentlemen,  strangers  to  him,  but  who  will  prove  them- 
selves friends,  wish  to  see  him  without  delay  on  business  which 
will  interest  him  much.  See  that  you  deliver  the  message,  or 
the  worse  for  you.  Now  show  us  a  room  where  we  can  wait  a 
reply." 

The  negro  bowed  low.  He  began  to  have  suspicion  that  we 
might  be  government  officials  on  a  tour  of  inspection.  He  opened 
a  door  that  led  into  a  reception-room,  bowed  us  in,  and  then 
left  us  to  pilot  the  officers  to  Don  Ingracia's  presence.  He  was 
gone  about  ten  minutes,  when  he  returned. 

"  The  Don  wishes  to  know  if  your  business  is  of  importance  ?" 
the  negro  asked. 

"  That  will  depend  upon  himself,"  I  answered. 

"  Then,  senors,  he  desires  me  to  say  that  he  will  waive  his 
usual  custom  of  seeing  only  his  immediate  friends,  and  speak  to 
you.  Will  you  follow  me  ?  " 

Francisco  and  myself  arose  and  followed  the  slave  through  nu- 
merous broad  corridors,  until  we  arrived  at  the  back  part  of  the 
house,  when  the  man  opened  a  door  and  bowed  us  into  a  library 
with  several  book-cases  of  richly  carved  mahogany  and  a  number 
of  pictures,  painted  by  no  common  hands.  I  but  briefly  glanced 
at  these  things,  for  my  attention  was  directed  to  Don  Ingracia, 
who  was  seated  at  a  desk,  but  arose  when  we  entered,  and  bowe<i 
with  the  politeness  and  coldness  of  a  grandee  of  Spain. 

The  Spaniard  was  a  man  about  sixty  years  of  age,  tall  and 
slim,  with  hair  which  was  white  as  snow,  and  curled  about  his  neck 
as  though  the  owner  was  proud  of  its  luxuriant  growth. 

u  Senors,"  he  said,  with  a  slight  and  stately  bow,  "  I  have  been 
told  you  have  important  business  with  me.  I  have  broken 
through  a  rule  which  I  established,  for  the  purpose  of  grant- 
ing you  an  interview.  It  should  be  something  important  to  thus 
seek  me  while  I  am  mourning  for  a  daughter." 

"  We  do  wish  to  speak  with  you  on  matters  of  importance,"  I 
replied.  "  But  what  we  have  to  say  must  be  spoken  to  you 
alone." 

I  looked,  as  I  spoke,  to  the  two  seamen,  Antonio  and  Pedro, 
who  were  in  the  room,  and  who  seemed  to  be  quite  at  home  from 
appearances. 


268  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

"  In  a  few  minutes  I  shall  be  at  leisure,  senor,"  the  Don  re- 
plied. "  Pray  be  seated  while  I  ask  these  brave  gentlemen  a 
few  questions  regarding  my  poor  child,  whose  fate  I  presume 
you  are  familiar  with." 

We  bowed,  and  took  seats  as  we  were  directed,  and  waited  to  hear 
the  lies  which  the  fellows  should  spread  before  the  old  gentleman. 

"  Well,  as  I  was  saying,"  cried  Pedro,  who  seemed  to  be  the 
superior  officer,  "  I  smelt  smoke  about  six  bells  in  the  afternoon, 
and  I  wondered  where  it  came  from." 

"  I  recollect  the  afternoon  well,"  chimed  in  Antonio.  "  I  know 
you  told  me  that  you  suspected  the  ship  was  on  fire,  and  we  must 
be  cautious  how  we  acted." 

u  But  why  did  you  not  commence  a  search  for  the  fire  without 
delay  ?  "  asked  Don  Ingracia. 

u  Because,  you  see,  we  did  not  wish  to  alarm  the  passengers," 
was  the  unsatisfactory  answer. 

u  But  you  might  have  proceeded  to  work  very  quietly,"  the 
Don  remarked. 

u  No,  we  couldn't.  Every  action  was  watched  ;  the  passengers 
always  surrounded  us,  and  asked  about  the  voyage.  You  know 
that,  Antonio." 

"  Of  course  I  do.  If  we  had  left  the  quarter-deck,  a  dozen 
would  have  followed  us.  Go  on  with  your  yarn." 

"  Well,  presently  the  smoke  came  out  of  the  fore  hatch,  and 
the  crew  rushed  on  deck,  and  swore  that  the  ship  was  on  fire  be- 
tween decks.  The  passengers  were  all  seized  with  a  panic,  and 
wouldn't  listen  to  advice.  The  captain  told  us  to  lower  the  boats 
at  once." 

u  What !  without  first  seeing  if  the  fire  could  not  be  extin- 
guished?" I  asked. 

|  Pedro  and  Antonio  turned  around  their  chairs  to  have  a  look 
at  me.  Probably  the  survey  was  not  satisfactory,  for  they  im- 
mediately turned  to  the  Don. 

"  You  do  not  answer  the  senor's  question,"  remarked  Don  In- 
gracia, quite  calmly. 

"  Because,  seuor,  we  are  here  to  answer  your  questions,  and 
not  those  put  by  strangers." 

"  Then  consider  that  I  put  the  same  question,"  the  Don  said. 

"  Well,  then  I  shall  answer  it.  On  shipboard  a  fire  spreads 
quick.  A  moment  it  is  here,  and  lo  !  presto,  it  is  there.  No 


TWO    STORY   TELLERS.  269 

time  is  to  be  lost.  The  men  are  crazy  with  fright,  and  the  pas- 
sengers frantic  to  be  saved.  To  be  sure  Antonio  and  myself 
were  cool  as  we  are  at  this  moment,  but  we  could  not  do  every- 
thing." 

"  Of  course  not,"  muttered  Antonio. 

"  We  got  the  boats  into  the  water,  and  threw  into  them  a  few 
articles,  such  as  we  should  need.  The  men  jumped  in,  and  then 
the  passengers,  and  we  shoved  off  to  get  out  of  reach  of  the  ship, 
in  case  she  should  blow  up,  of  which  there  was  some  danger." 

"  But  where  was  my  child  all  of  this  time?"  asked  the  Don, 
with  tearful  eyes  and  trembling  lips. 

"  I'm  coming  to  her  in  a  moment,"  said  the  fellow,  stopping  to 
collect  his  thoughts.  "  Well,  after  we  had  shoved  off  I  missed 
the  lady  Gracia.  She  was  not  in  my  boat." 

"And  she  wasn't  in  mine,"  muttered  Antonio. 

"  I  said,"  continued  Pedro,  "  '  Where  is  the  lady  Gracia?  Pass 
the  word  for  the  lady  Gracia.'.  Word  was  passed,  but  she  was 
not  to  be  found." 

Don  Ingracia  bowed  his  head  upon  his  hands,  and  wept.  The 
coward  and  liar  continued,  - — 

"  I  said  she  must  have  been  left  on  board  by  accident.  We 
will  not  leave  her." 

u  His  very  words,"  Antonio  remarked. 

"  I  said,  '  Antonio,  will  you  go  back  with  me,  and  help  find 
her?'" 

"  And  I  said  that  I  would,"  Antonio  remarked. 

"You  did,"  continued  Pedro.  "The  men  swore  they  would 
not  lift  an  oar  to  pull  back." 

"  The  cowards  !    O,  the  cowards  !  "  cried  Don  Ingracia. 

"  Ah,  I  should  think  so,"  the  fellow  continued  ;  "  but  Antonio 
and  myself  were  not  to  be  intimidated  by  such  things.  We  drew 
our  pistols,  and  swore  that,  unless  the  boats  were  rowed  back  to 
the  Virgin,  we  would  shoot  every  man  who  refused  to  go." 

"  Brave  men  !  worthy  friends  !  "  cried  Don  Ingracia,  raising 
his  hands  as  though  invoking  the  blessing  of  Heaven  upon  their 
heads. 

"  Well,  every  one  would  not  have  done  as  we  did,"  cried 
Pedro,  with  the  utmost  complacency.  "  We  endangered  our 
lives,  but  yeur  child  was  on  board,  and  we  determined  to  save 
her." 


270  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

"  Why  didu't  you,  then?"  I  asked,  unable  to  keep  silent  any 
longer. 

Pedro  started  to  his  feet  with  an  oath  and  swagger  of  defiance, 
while  the  Don  looked  astonished  and  amazed. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

CONFOUNDING  LIARS.  —  FATHER  AND   DAUGHTER. A   HAPPY  RE- 
UNION.   LIFE   ON   A   CUBIAN  PLANTATION. 

"  DON  INGRACIA,"  said  the  ruffian,  who  was  half  drunk,  u  if 
we  are  to  be  interrupted  in  this  manner,  by  a  fellow  who  don't 
know  a  ship  from  a  volante,  I  shall  decline  to  say  any  more  at 
present." 

"  I  trust,"  remarked  Don  Ingracia,  "that  my  friends  here  will 
be  allowed  to  continue  their  remarks  without  any  further  inter- 
ruption. I  desire  it." 

The  old  man  drew  himself  up  as  he  spoke,  as  though  he  was  in 
the  habit  of  being  obeyed  when  he  made  a  request. 

"  For  Heaven's  sake  let  the  dog  finish,"  whispered  Francisco. 
"  The  game  will  be  in  your  hands  in  a  few  minutes." 

I  bowed  to  the  Don  ;  and  thus  appeased,  the  braggart  con- 
tinued, — 

"  We  made  the  men  pull  the  boats  up  under  the  ship's  chains, 
although  the  fire  was  raging  violently,  and  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
magazine.  Every  moment  I  expected  to  be  blown  to  the  devil, 
and  some  of  the  men  were  white  with  fear.  But  Antonio  and 
myself  encouraged  them,  and  told  them  there  was  no  danger,  and 
by  this  means  we  kept  them  quiet." 

"  Ah,  that  we  did,"  muttered  Antonio. 

"  I  shouted  for  your  daughter,  Gracia,  but  received  no  answer. 
I  climbed  up  into  the  chains,  and  left  Antonio  to  keep  the  men 
quiet,  and  prevent  them  from  running  off  in  my  absence.  I 
reached  the  deck,  but  still  did  not  see  her.  I  managed  to  gain 
the  cabin,  but  here  a  wall  of  fire  drove  me  back.  I%shouted  for 
your  daughter,  and  at  last  got  an  answer.  She  was  lying  on  the 


MORE   LIES.  271 

deck,  surrounded  by  fire,  and  just  capable  of  speaking.  She  told 
me  to  seek  out  her  father,  and  say  that  she  died  blessing  him. 
Then  she  expired,  and  I  made  the  best  of  my  way  to  the  boat, 
and  we  pushed  off;  but  before  "we  were  two  cable  lengths  from 
the  ship,  she  blew  up." 

"  Alas,  my  poor  child !  "  cried  Don  Ingracia,  his  head  falling 
upon  the  desk  before  him.  "  To  think  she  should  have  died  such 
a  terrible  death,  and  her  father  miles  from  her !  " 

"  It  ain't  any  fault  of  mine,  you  know,"  said  Pedro.  "  We  did 
all  we  could  to  save  her." 

u  I  have  no  doubt  of  it,"  the  old  Spaniard  cried.  "  I  do  not 
blame  you  or  your  companion,  and  before  many  days  you  shall 
see  an  evidence  of  my  good  will.  Leave  me  now,"  continued  the 
Don,  "  and  I  will  speak  with  you  again  to-morrow." 

The  men  arose  to  take  their  leave,  and  I  could  see  them  wink 
at  each  other  as  they  did  so.  I  could  restrain  my  indignation  no 
longer.  I  determined  to  unmask  them  at  all  hazards. 

"  Don  Ingracia,"  I  said,  motioning  to  the  two  men  to  remain 
in  the  room,  "  I  wish  to  ask  a  few  questions,  if  these  sailors  have 
no  objections  to  answering  them." 

"  Some  other  time,  senor,"  replied  the  Spaniard,  raising  his 
head.  "  I  cannot  listen  to-day." 

"  But  this  is  something  that  concerns  your  child,  in  whose  fate 
I  am  deeply  interested,"  I  replied. 

The  Don  looked  astonished,  and  made  no  reply. 

"  We  can  answer  all  the  questions  he  puts  to  us,"  one  sailor 
said,  with  a  sneer.  "  Let  him  go  ahead." 

"  Are  you  quite  sure  you  laid  by  the  ship  until  she  blew  up?" 
I  asked. 

The  men  smiled. 

"  Answer  the  senor,"  cried  the  Don,  in  a  tone  so  stern  I 
should  not  have  recognized  the  voice  as  belonging  to  him,  if  I 
had  not  seen  him  speak. 

44  We  are  sure,"  replied  the  men. 

"  Are  you  sure  that  the  ship  was  all  on  fire  when  you  left  her?" 
I  asked. 

"  May  the  saints  pardon  me,  senor,  but  to  what  does  your  ques- 
tion teud?"  the  Don  inquired,  fixing  his  burning  glances  upon  me. 

"  Much  that  interests  you,  senor.     Shall  I  go  on?" 

"  Go  ou,"  was  the  answer. 


272  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

"  At  the  time  you  abandoned  the  Virgin,  was  there  any  other 
vessel  in, sight?"  I  continued. 

"  There  was  not,"  answered  Pedro,  who  began  to  look  troubled. 

"  Did  you  scan  the  horizon?"  I  asked. 

"  We  had  no  time,  for  every  man  was  busy  in  lowering  the 
boats,"  was  the  answer. 

"  One  more  question.  Did  you  really  make  an  attempt  to 
rescue  the  daughter  of  Don  Ingracia  ? " 

u  I  have  answered  you  that  I  did.  If  you  have  more  ques- 
tions, I  wish  you  would  ask  tfrem  outside,  so  I  can  reply  as  a 
gentleman." 

The  fellow  began  to  show  signs  of  impatience,  and  thought  he 
could  frighten  me  from  my  purpose  by  intimidation.  I  merely 
laughed,  and  turned  to  Don  Ingracia. 

"  You  have  heard  these  men,  day  after  day.  give  an  imaginary 
account  of  the  loss  of  your  daughter,"  I  said.  "  I  now  wish  to 
prove  to  you  that  what  they  have  uttered  are  lies,  from  beginning 
to  end." 

"  You  shall  answer  for  this,"  shouted  Pedro. 

"  And  to  me,  too,"  cried  Antonio. 

"  I  will  meet  both  of  you  if  you  are  disposed,  after  this  busi- 
ness is  settled,"  I  remarked.  u  Don  Ingracia,  I  have  some  as- 
tonishing news  for  you.  Can  you  bear  it?" 

The  old  gentleman  sat  looking  at  me  as  though  he  was  made 
of  bronze.  It  was  evident  that  he  hardly  dared  to  hope  what  the 
nature  of  my  communication  would  be.  He  nodded  his  head,  and 
gazed  at  me  with  anxious  eyes. 

"  A  few  months  since,"  I  commenced,  "  I  was  on  the  deck  of  a 
schooner  which  had  left  Havana  but  a  short  time  before.  It  was 
night,  and  I  saw  a  light  a  few  miles  off  our  larboard  bow.  We 
ran  for  it,  and  found  it  was  a  burning  ship.  I  took  a  boat  and 
crew,  and  started  for  the  vessel,  thinking  some  one  might  be  left 
on  board." 

"  You  did  find  some  one  ?  "  demanded  Don  Ingracia,  trembling 
with  eagerness. 

"  I  did,"  I  replied. 

"And  alive?  —  O,  say  that  she  was  alive !"  the  Don  cried, 
starting  to  his  feet  and  clasping  his  hands. 

"  She  was  alive  when  I  found  her,  but  in  a  senseless  condition," 
I  continued. 


BAFFLED.  273 

The  two  officers  here  turned  towards  the  door,  as  though  they 
would  leave  the  room. 

"  I  beg  of  you  to  remain,"  I  said.  "  I  have  much  to  say  that 
interests  you." 

They  paused  irresolute. 

Don  Ingracia  touched  a  spring,  and  a  draw  of  the  table,  at 
which  he  sat,  opened.  He  took  out  two  handsome  pistols,  cocked 
them,  and  laid  them  before  him. 

*'  The  man  who  leaves  this  room  without  my  permission  dies," 
he  said  ;  and  I  could  see  by  his  eyes  that  he  was  in  earnest. 

The  two  officers  remained,  and  Don  Ingracia  motioned  me  to 
go  on. 

"  My  men,'*  I  continued,  "  after  they  reached  the  vessel,  — 
which  we  found  on  fire  only  in  the  fore  part,  —  began  to  search 
for  something  to  carry  off  that  was  valuable.  I  also  explored 
the  cabin  to  see  if  any  one  alive  was  on  board.  In  one  of  the 
state-rooms,  lying  on  the  deck  in  an  insensible  condition,  I  found 
a  lady." 

u  The  name  of  the  vessel?  "  cried  the  Don,  with  intense  eager- 
ness. 

u  The  Virgin,  of  Havana,  bound  for  Cadiz,"  I  replied. 

"  O,  miserable  liars  that  you  are  !  "  exclaimed  the  old  gentle- 
man to  the  two  officers,  his  hands  in  close  proximity  to  his  pistols, 
as  though  he  longed  to  use  them.  "  Go  on,  seuor,"  he  said  at 
length,  with  a  mighty  effort  to  control  his  rage,  and  a  savage  glance 
at  the  sailors,  who  did  not  dare  meet  his  eye. 

u  I  bore  the  lady  to  the  deck,  and  bathed  her  face  with  water, 
and  forced  some  down  her  throat.  She  slowly  revived,  and 
thanked  me  like  one  raised  from  the  dead.  She  told  me  that  the 
ship  was  discovered  on  fire  in  the  afternoon,  and  that  all  hands 
instantly  took  to  the  boats,  without  one  effort  to  save  the  vessel. 
She  had  gone  to  her  state-room  for  a  cloak,  and  while  there  the 
boats  had  shoved  off  without  her." 

"  O,  wretched  cowards  —  O,  miserable  rascals  ! "  cried  the 
Don.  "  But  I'll  punish  you." 

He  touched  a  bell,  and  a  servant  appeared. 

"  Collect  the  people,"  he  said,  "  and  let  them  wait  outside  for 
orders." 

The  negro  bowed,  and  disappeared. 
18 


274  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

The  officers  of  the  Virgin  exchanged  looks.  They  began  to 
realize  that  their  position  was  not  a  pleasant  one. 

"  We  shall  see  some  fun  yet,"  muttered  Francisco  in  my  ear. 
"  The  old  gentleman  has  got  the  temper  of  an  Ashantee,  and  he 
will  show  some  of  it  before  long." 

"  Continue  your  narrative,"  cried  the  Don,  with  a  gracious  look 
towards  me. 

"  When  the  lady,  who  is  as  good  as  she  is  beautiful,  real- 
ized that  she  was  deserted,  she  again  retired  to  her  state-room, 
and  shed  many  tears  at  the  prospect  of  her  miserable  fate  ;  and, 
as  she  was  a  pious  maid,  she  offered  up  many  prayers  for  her 
soul,  and  the  happiness  of  her  dear  father,  whom  she  had  left  in 
Cuba." 

The  Spaniard  groaned,  and  once  more  moved  his  hand  in  the 
direction  of  his  pistols.  But  he  resisted  the  temptation,  much  to 
the  satisfaction  of  the  two  officers,  who  were  watching  his  motions 
keenly. 

"  When  the  smoke  commenced  pouring  into  the  state-room,  the 
lady  attempted  to  reach  the  deck,  but  was  unable  to  do  so',  and 
knew  nothing  more  until  she  found  a  stranger  bathing  her  head.1' 

Don  Ingracia  followed  me  in  ray  narrative,  and  did  not  lose  a 
word.  He  was  fearfully  interested,  yet  did  not  dare  to  ask  me 
the  all-important  question  relative  to  her  safety.  He  nodded  for 
me  to  continue  my  story. 

"  I  carried  the  lady  on  board  of  the  schooner  to  which  I  be- 
longed, but  found  thaf  I  had  only  rescued  her  from  death  for  a  life 
of  lingering  torture,  if  the  plans  which  were  formed  in  her  behalf 
were  carried  out.  I  was  determined  to  defeat  the  men  who  con- 
sidered their  pecuniary  interest  paramount  to  all  others." 

"  You  did  so  ?  "  asked  Don  Ingracia,  eagerly. 

u  You  shall  hear.  The  master  of  the  vessel  made  a  proposition 
that  we  should  sell  the  lady  to  the  king  of  the  Gajbun  for  one 
hundred  negroes,  and  share  the  profits.  The  second  mate  pro- 
posed to  marry  her.  Both  men  were  bold  and  unscrupulous,  and 
it  was  necessary  that  I  should  act  with  great  caution.  I  tem- 
porized with  the  master,  and  pitted  the  second  mate  against  him, 
until  it  was  time  to  throw  off  the  mask,  when  I  refused  to  dis- 
pose of  the  lady,  or  to  allow  the  second  mate  to  marry  her.  I 
claimed  her  as  my  prize,  and  expressed  a  determination  to  pro- 
tect her  with  my  life." 


FATHER    AND    DAUGHTER.  275 

"  Brave  young  man  !  "  muttered  the  Don.  "  How  different  your 
conduct  from  that  of  those  two  rascals  !  " 

The  two  rascals  alluded  to  didn't  look  happy  by  any  means. 

"  A  rupture  took  place  between  the  captain  and  myself,"  I  con- 
tinued, "  but  still  I  swore  to  protect  the  lady  from  insult  with  my 
life.  I  was  surrounded  by  rude,  lawless  men,  who  cared  for  no 
one  unless  he  made  -himself  respected  by  means  of  a  heavy  hand. 
Luckily  for  my  object,  a  quarrel  ensued  between  the  men  and  the 
master,  and  while  it  continued  I  espoused  the  side  of  the  men,  and 
by  that  means  won  their  confidence.  The  master,  during  an  af- 
fray, was  killed,  and  I  took  charge  of  the  vessel.  I  pointed  out 
to  the  men  the  reward  of  obedience  to  orders,  and  they  were  sensi- 
ble enough  to  see  that  I  was  right.  We  completed  our  cargo  and 
sailed  for  Cuba,  and  by  careful  watching  I  was  enabled  to  bring 
the  lady  with  me,  safe  and  well." 

41  Where  is  she  now? "  asked  Don  Ingracia,  starting  to  his  feet. 

uls  the  senor  composed  sufficient  for  an  interview?"  I  re- 
marked. 

"  Composed  !  Am  I  not  composed?  Look  at  me.  These  eyes 
have  shed  many  tears  for  the  loss  of  a  daughter.  Now  that  she 
is  found,  can  I  not  command  myself,  and  take  her  to  my  heart. 
Let  me  see  her,  and  then  judge  of  the  strength  of  a  Spaniard's 
mind." 

I  left  the  room,  and  hurried  to  the  apartment  where  Gracia 
was  waiting.  She  was  expecting  me. 

"  He  is  ready  to  receive  you,"  I  said,  as  I  took  her  hand,  and 
looked  upon  her  beautiful  face,  sorrowful  enough  to  think  that  I 
was  to  surrender  so  much  that  was  precious  to  the  custody  of 
another. 

For  a  moment  she  laid  her  head  upon  my  breast,  and  I  thought 
I  saw  tears  in  her  dark  eyes.  I  kissed  them  off,  and,  hand  in 
hand,  we  proceeded  to  the  library,  without  exchanging  a  word. 
A  dozen  or  twenty  slaves  were  gathered  in  the  passage-way, 
awaiting  their  master's  pleasure,  but  the  instant  they  saw  the 
lady  an  expression  of  delight  burst  from  them. 

"  The  lady  Gracia  !  "  they  cried,  in  astonishment ;  and  two  or 
three  of  the  oldest  servants,  slaves  who  had  been  in  the  family  for 
years,  threw  themselves  upon  their  knees,  and  kissed  the  hem  of 
her  dress  as  she  passed  along  and  smiled  upon  them. 

The  door  of  the  library  opened,  and  Francisco  and  the  two 


276  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

officers  made  their  exit.  It  was  to  give  the  Doii  a  chance  to  meet 
his  daughter,  for  the  first  time,  alone.  I  left  her  at  the  door,  and 
it  closed  behind  her.  I  heard  a  few  hurried  exclamations,  and 
then  deep  sobs,  as  though  an  overburdened  heart  was  relieved  by 
tears. 

"  Come,"  cried  Francisco,  taking  my  arm,  "  let  us  retire  to  a 
room  where  we  can  be  together." 

No  sooner  was  the  wish  expressed  than  the  major-domo  of  the 
house  was  at  our  elbows.  He  was  already  prepared  to  worship 
the  rising  sun.  The  two  officers  were  neglected,  where  a  few  mo- 
ments before  their  slightest  wish  was  law.  The  rascals  did  not 
look  happy  as  they  stood  in  the  corridor,  surrounded  by  slaves, 
who  knew  not  why  the  sailors  had  fallen  into  disgrace,  and  cared 
less ;  but,  with  true  human  instinct,  they  were  ready  to  neglect 
and  insult  those  whom  but  a  few  moments  before  they  had  fawned 
upon.  I  felt  a  little  compassion  for  the  fellows,  although  they  did 
not  deserve  any.  I  asked  the  major-domo  if  he  had  received  any 
orders  regarding  the  men. 

"  Si,  senor,"  he  replied.  "  The  Don  has  given  directions  that 
they  be  kept  until  further  commands.  I  know  not  what  he  in- 
tends to  do." 

u  Can't  you  let  them  have  a  room,  until  your  master's  orders 
are  known  ?  "  I  asked. 

The  ue-gro  shook  his  head,  and  Francisco  drew  me  away. 

The  major-domo  showed  us  into  a  room,  where  some  rare  pic- 
tures hung  against  the  wall,  while  the  furniture  was  light,  but 
of  that  kind  which  Cubans  most  delight  in,  the  seats  of  the  chairs 
and  the  lounge  being  of  willow,  open  work,  wrought  in  the  most 
fanciful  designs,  and  the  whole  looking  very  cool  and  comfortable. 

"  You  did  splendidly,"  cried  Francisco,  throwing  himself  upon 
the  lounge  and  lighting  a  cigar.  "  You  summed  up  the  points  in 
the  most  skilful  manner,  and  then  laid  the  whole  before  the  old 
gentleman  in  such  a  way,  that  he  could  not  fail  to  see  how  the 
land  lay  at  once.  And  what  gratified  me  more  than  all,  you  did 
it  in  such  a  gentlemanly  style  I  could  see  you  made  a  strong  im- 
pression upon  the  Don.  When  I  can  call  you  his  son-in-law,  I 
shall  be  as  pleased  as  yourself." 

I  was  too  thoughtful  to  reply.  I  had  seen  Cracia's  father,  and 
in  his  eyes  I  had  read  pride  as  strongly  implanted  as  if  belonging 
to  the  royal  house  of  Spain,  and  I  mentally  cursed  mvself  for  not 


A  FATHER'S  THANKS.  277' 

keeping  Gracia  on  board  of  the  schooner ;  for,  now  that  I  was 
likely  to  lose  her,  I  found  that  ray  love  was  ten  times  stronger 
than  I  imagined.  While  I  was  thus  reflecting  and  repining,  the 
major-domo  opened  the  door. 

"  Senor  Robert,"  he  said,  with  a  low  bow,  "  the  Don  wishes  to 
see  you,  if  you  are  at  leisure." 

u  Strike  while  the  iron  is  hot,"  muttered  Francisco.  "  Don't 
be  afraid  to  push  your  claims." 

I  followed  the  slave  to  the  door  of  the  library.  The  two  officers 
were  no  longer  standing  in  the  corridor,  and  no  one  was  to  be  seen 
but  my  escort.  The  servant  threw  open  the  door  with  a  low  bow, 
and  I  entered.  I  saw  that  Don  Ingracia  was  seated  by  the  side 
of  Gracia,  holding  her  hand.  His  face  looked  as  though  he  had 
been  shedding  tears  quite  freely,  and  the  brightness  of  Gracia's 
eyes  was  dimmed.  I  saw  one  of  her  looks  of  love  mantle  her  face 
as  I  entered,  and  that  gratified  me  much. 

"  My  brave  young  friend,"  said  the  Don,  rising  and  taking  my 
hand,  "  I  have  much  to  thank  you  for,  but  I  do  not  know  how  to 
repay  the  heavy  obligations  under  which  I  labor.  My  dear  child, 
whom  I  mourned  as  dead,  has  told  me  all  and  much  more  than 
you  were  willing  to  add,  owing  to  your  modesty  ;  but  that  is  the 
way  with  true  valor ;  it  always  seeks  to  conceal  its  merit.  How 
can  I  thank  you  ?  " 

"  The  joy  of  saving  the  life  of  so  beautiful  a  girl  is  sufficient 
recompense  for  me,"  I  replied.  "  I  restored  the  lady  to  your 
arms  as  soon  as  I  was  able,  but  can't  say  I  regret  I  was  not  able 
to  do  so  before,  for  the  company  of  your  child  has  done  much  to- 
wards improving  my  rough  men." 

u  Nay,  captain,  you  must  not  compliment  my  child  thus,  for  see 
how  she  blushes.  But  she  is  grateful  to  you  for  the  immense 
service  you  have  rendered,  and  thanks  you  with  her  whole  heart." 

I  stole  a  look  at  Gracia  to  see  how  that  remark  might  be  con- 
strued ;  but  she  did  not  return  my  glance,  and  I  did  not  dare  to 
mention  the  subject  that  was  uppermost  in  my  mind.  I  bowed, 
and  waited  for  the  old  gentleman  to  continue. 

u  My  daughter  has  told  me  that  any  pecuniary  offer  which  I 
might  make  you  would  be  rejected  immediately.  If  such  is  the 
case,  tell  me  what  I  can  do  for  you.  Whatever  you  ask  I  will 
grant." 

u  Do  you  promise  me  that?"  I  demanded,  eagerly. 


278  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

"  On  the  honor  of  a  Castiliau,  I  do,"  was  the  response. 

I  was  about  to  ask  for  that  which  was  most  dear  to  me,  but  I 
,  stole  a  glance  at  Gracia,  and  saw  that  she  gave  me  a  sign  not  to 
do  so. 

"  I  shall  remind  you  of  your  promise  some  day,"  I  said. 

u  Do  so,  and  without  fear  of  having  your  favor  refused.  Come, 
be  seated,  and  let  me  hear  from  your  lips,  once  more,  the  dangers 
my  child  has  escaped." 

I  took  a  seat  by  the  side  of  Gracia,  and  while  the  old  gentle- 
man's back  was  turned  on  us  for  a  moment,  seized  her  hand  and 
pressed  it  to  my  lips.  She  smiled,  and  her  old  look  of  love  re- 
turned to  her  face. 

"  Ah,  my  dear  child,"  said  the  Don,  taking  a  seat  near  us, 
"  you  will  never  realize  how  deep  my  grief  was  at  the  news  of 
your  death.  For  days  I  refused  to  eat,  drink,  or  sleep,  and  it 
seemed  to  me  that  life  was  no  longer  desirable.  I  used  to  sit 
before  your  portrait  and  shed  bitter  tears  at  iny  loss ;  but  once, 
while  I  was  thus  engaged,  I  thought  that  the  saints  whispered  to 
me  consolation,  and  bade  me  hope,  for  somehow  I  arose  from 
prayer  with  a  feeling  something  akin  to  resignation  at  my  loss. 
Then  came  the  two  rascals  whom  you  have  seen,  and  whose  won- 
drous lies  you  have  heard,  strange  to  say,  I  did  not  really  believe 
what  they  told  me.  I  had  a  feeling,  which  I  cannot  describe,  that 
I  should  yet  hear  from  my  child ;  and  when,  senor,  you  com- 
menced your  narrative,  I  believed  that  the  saints  had  sent  you  to 
me  to  communicate  good  tidings." 

"  I  am  sure  you  would  have  thought  he  was  sent  by  the  saints 
to  protect  me,  if  you  could  have  seen  him  on  board  of  the  schoon- 
er," added  Gracia.  "  Surrounded  on  all  sides  by  vicious  people 
and  designing  men,  yet  the  senor  Robert  was  enabled  to  care  for 
me,  and  save  me  from  insult.  I  am  sure  I  was  very  comfortable 
by  his  exertions." 

Perhaps  I  felt  I  did  not  deserve  so  much  praise ;  so  turned  the 
conversation  as  soon  as  possible. 

"  Have  the  two  officers  left  the  plantation?"  I  asked  of  the 
Don. 

"  I  think  they  have  by  this  time,"  was  the  calm  reply.  "  But 
if  they  have  not  we  shall  see  them  before  they  take  their  de- 
parture." 

Just  at  that  moment  we  heard  some   shouts  out  doors,  and  I 


PELTING   THE    OFFICERS.    '  279 

stepped  to  the  window  to  see  what  was  the  matter.  A  dozen  ne- 
groes, evidently  field  slaves,  were  standing  in  a  group,  their  hands 
filled  with  oranges  and  pine-apples.  They  appeared  to  be  waiting 
for  some  one,  and  were  laughing  heartily. 

Suddenly  I  heard  more  shouting,  and  the  two  officers  of  the 
Virgin  ran  past,  followed  by  a  dozen  or  twenty  field  hands,  who 
were  throwing  oranges  at  the  fugitives,  and  sometimes  heavier 
articles.  In  this  sport  the  slaves  I  had  first  seen  joined,  and  they 
seemed  to  think  considerable  of  the  fun  ;  for  they  threw  the 
oranges  with  such  good  will,  that  every  one  of  them  told  with 
crushing  effect  upon  the  persons  of  the  fugitives.  They  were 
spattered  from  head  to  foot  with  the  yellow  juice  of  the  fruit,  and 
each  hit  was  the  signal  for  shouts  of  laughter  from  the  blacks. 

' u  This  is  the  manner  in  which  I  thought  proper  to  punish  the 
cowards,"  said  Don  Ingracia.  "  I  have  directed  the  slaves  to 
drive  them  from  the  plantation,  but  not  offer  more  serious  in- 
jury. The  rogues  enjoy  the  sport  — .don't  they?" 

During  the  remainder  of  the  first  portion  of  the  day  I  spent 
at  Don  Ingracia's  country-seat,  I  strove  to  obtain  a  moment's 
conversation  with  Gracia  alone,  but  found  it  impossible.  Her 
father  was  always  with  her,  as  though  fearful  that  if  he  should 
leave  her  for  a  moment,  she  would  be  spirited  off,  and  never 
return. 

It  is  true  I  had  the  pleasure  of  handing  the  lady  to  the  dinner 
table,  and  of  being  seated  beside  her,  but  the  Don  was  so  full  of 
conversation  we  had  to  listen  to  him  and  return  correct  answers 
to  his  questions ;  but  once,  while  I  was  thinking  of  something 
else,  I  astonished  the  Don  by  making  a  random  reply,  which 
caused  him  to  look  grave,  and  Gracia  signed  to  me  that  I  must 
be  careful  in  that  respect,  for  her  father  liked  a  good  listener. 

The  dinners  which  Don  Ingracia  gave  were  stupendous  affairs, 
and  always  lasted  one  or  two  hours,  before  coffee  was  served. 
The  table  was  always  loaded  with  choice  viands  and  fruits  of  all 
descriptions,  from  the  orange  to  the  choicest  of  grapes  and  the 
sweetest  of  mangoes. 

"  Senor,"  said  the  Don,  at  our  dinner,  after  the  first  course  was 
over,  "  fill  your  glass,  and  let  us  drink  to  the  health  of  the  queen, 
whom  the  saints  bless." 

A  servant  promptly  filled  my  glass  with  nice  champagne,  which 
had  never  paid  a  dime  towards  the  revenue  of  the  island. 


280  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

"  My  dear  child,  whom  the  saints  have  restored  to  me,"  con- 
tinued the  Don,  with  admirable  gravity,  u  has  informed  me  that 
I  cannot  call  you  a  countryman,  but  you  will  have  just  as  warm 
a  place  in  my  affections  as  though  you  were.  I  have  always  re- 
spected the  Americans  for  their  bravery  and  enterprise,  although 
between  you  and  me,  as  friends.  I  do  think  that  they  should  retain 
their  fillibusters  at  home,  and  not  keep  our  government  continual- 
ly on  the  alert  for  them." 

"  I  quite  agree  with  you,  senor,"  I  replied,  much  to  the  grati- 
fication of  Gracia,  who  squeezed  my  hand  beneath  the  table  in 
token  of  her  approval  of  my  coolness. 

u  I  am  glad  to  hear  it,  senor,"  the  Don  continued  ;  "  you  will 
remain  with  us  and  become  one  of  my  family,  I  trust,  and  I  shall 
take  pleasure  in  showing  to  you  that  the  planters  of  Cuba  know 
how  to  enjoy  themselves,  and  know  how  to  reward  brave  deeds. 
Your  fortune  shall  be  my  immediate  object,  provided  you  wish  to 
leave  the  sea."  . 

"  That  1  have  already  resolved  upon,"  I  replied.  "  But  as  far 
as  fortune  is  concerned,  I  have  sufficient  of  this  world's  goods  to 
satisfy  even  my  ambition.  I  am  what  the  world  calls  rich,  so  that 
I  am  not  dependent  upon  any  one,  although  there  is  no  one  whom 
I  would  accept  a  favor  from  quicker  than  Don  Ingracia." 

The  Spaniard  bowed.  He  was  pleased  to  think  I  was  richer 
than  he  supposed,  aird  I  need  not  inform  the  public  that  great  men 
always  like  a  friend  better  if  no  favors,  in  a  pecuniary  way,  are 
asked  for. 

"  That's  the  style  to  put  it,"  muttered  Francisco,  who  was  mak- 
ing free  with  the  Don's  wine.  0 

"  Such  being  the  case,"  continued  the  Don,  "  you  can  have  no 
hesitancy  in  accepting  my  offer,  and  consider  my  house  as  your 
own  during  your  stay  in  Cuba.  I  have  been  very  lonely  the  past 
three  months,  but  now  I  shall  try  and  be  more  sociable.  We 
will  have  a  few  parties  to  welcome  the  return  of  my  daughter, 
and  I  need  not  tell  you  that  your  presence  here  will  gratify  my 
friends  as  well  as  myself.  I  need  not  speak  for  my  daughter,  for 
she  will  add  her  persuasion  to  mine." 

I  bowed,  and  Gracia  looked  gratified. 

"  Are  you  happy  now  ?  "  she  whispered. 

"  Not  so  happy  as  when  we  were  on  board  of  the  Coquette,"  I 
replied. 


A   HINT.  281 

"  Have  patience,"  she  responded.  "  You  must  win  my  father's 
love  as  you  have  won  mine." 

"  Since  we  have  disposed  of  that  business,"  said  the  Don,  who 
had  forgotten  all  about  his  previous  toast,  "  let  us  fill  clean  glasses, 
and  drink  to  the  health  and  happiness  of  the  queen." 

We  drank  the  toast  with  all  due  solemnity  ;  Francisco,  with  a 
demonstration  that  sounded  like  a  cheer,  at  which  the  Don  did 
not  object,  for  he  was  loyal  to  his  sovereign,  and  thought  Spain 
the  greatest  nation  upon  the  earth. 

u  Yes,  I  shall  send  invitations  to  my  friends  to  meet  at  the 
house  day  after  to-morrow,"  the  Don  continued.  "  By  that  time 
my  child  will  have  recovered  from  her  fatigue,  and  will  be  ready 
to  welcome  them.  Senor  Francisco,  if  your  employers  can  spare 
you  from  Havana  for  a  period,  I  shall  be  happy  to  see  you. 
And  now,  senors,  let  us  drink  the  health  of  the  captain  general, 
and  then  we  will  look  over  the  plantation,  if  you  have  no  objec- 
tions." 

We  drank  the  health  of  the  gentleman  alluded  to,  and  arose 
from  the  table.  I  offered  my  arm  to  Gracia,  and  although  the 
Don  kept  close  to  our  heels,  as  though  to  hear  every  word  we  ex- 
changed, yet  I  managed  to  speak  to  he'r. 

"  When  shall  I  see  you  for  a  few  minutes  alone?  "  I  asked. 

"  This  evening,"  she  replied. 

"Where?" 

"  Why,  where  do  you  suppose?" 

"  I  have  not  the  slightest  idea,"  I  answered. 

"  Then  you  are  uncommonly  stupid.  Your  sitting-room  adjoins 
mine,  and  my  father's  apartment  is  in  front  of  the  house.  Need 
I  say  more." 

"  How  shall  I  thank  you? "  I  asked. 

"  By  treating  my  father  as  though  you  desired  to  secure  his 
love  and  respect.  This  you  will  have  to  do  before  he  will  con- 
sent to  our  union." 

"  I  promise  with  all  my  heart,"  I  answered  ;  and  leaving  her  at 
the  door  of  the  drawing-room,  bowed  and  repaired  to  my  cham- 
ber to  dress  for  my  horseback  ride. 

Luckily  I  had  brought  a  large  valise  with  me,  filled  with  linen 
and  change  of  outside  clothing,  and  I  don't  care  to  confess  that 
all  was  of  the  first  quality,  and  made  to  fit  me  by  an  American 
tailor ;  for,  let  me  inform  you,  gentle  reader,  that  the  majority 


282  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

of  Spanish  tailors  are  botchers,  and  have  no  more  idea  of  "  fits  " 
than  a  wild  African,  who  never  saw  a  pair  of  pants. 

While  selecting  my  riding  suit,  I  came  across  my  revolver. 
I  do  not  know  what  prompted  me,  but  examined  the  weapon 
and  found  it  was  carefully  loaded,  and  laid  it  upon  the  table  to 
carry  with  me.  Upon  going  down  stairs  I  saw  three  saddle  horses 
at  the  front  door,  and  the  Don  and  Francisco  awaiting  me.  Gra- 
cia  was  also  standing  on  the  piazza  to  see  us  start. 

"Be  careful,  Robert,"  Gracia  whispered.  u  You  must  not 
make  a  failure  before  my  father  and  the  servants." 

*'  Neither  shall  I ;  "  and  as  I  spoke  they  led  up  a  high-spirited 
black  horse  which  I  was  to  ride. 

I  saw  that  the  stirrups  were  of  the  right  length,  and  that  the 
animal  had  a  good  curb-bit  in  his  mouth,  by  means  of  which  I 
could  cut  his  tongue  off  with  but  a  slight  pressure  upon  the  bridle. 
The  horse  seemed  full  of  fire,  and  I  liked  him  all  the  better  for  it. 

One  of  the  servants  buckled  a  pair  of  spurs  upon  my  heels, 
and  I  was  ready  to  "  witch  the  world  with  noble  horsemanship." 
All  watched  my  movements  with  considerable  curiosity,  for  Span- 
iards will  not  admit  that  Americans  know  how  to  ride,  and  it 
must  be  confessed  that  after  seeing  them  pick  up  silver  dollars 
from  the  ground  while  their  horses  were  at  full  speed,  I  was  in- 
clined to  believe  them. 

I  laid  my  hand  upon  the  pommel,  gathered  the 'reins  up,  and 
then,  while  they  thought  I  was  meditating  on  the  matter,  sprang 
into  the  saddle  without  touching  a  stirrup.  The  horse  gave  a 
sudden  bound  and  danced  for  a  moment,  but  I  soon  had  Lira  in 
hand,  and  was  too  firmly  seated  to  be  dismounted  by  any  common 
shock. 

We  turned  our  horses'  heads,  and  rode  along  the  carriage-way 
until  we  gained  the  road.  I  looked  back  and  saw  Gracia  was 
watching  us ;  and  as  she  was  hid  from  sight  threw  me  a  kiss,  but 
her  father  did  not  see  the  action. 

"  I  shall  first  take  you  to  the  sugar  fields,"  said  the  owner  of 
the  plantation,  "  and  let  you  see  how  the  cane  is  cultivated.  The 
negroes  are  probably  at  work  there  hoeing,  and  you  can  notice 
if  they  seem  contented  with  their  lot." 

While  he  was  speaking  we  reached  a  path  leading  to  a  vast 
field  which  contained  as  much  as  a  thousand  acres,  and  was  filled 
with  a  crop  of  cane  that  looked  uncommonly  flourishing. 


NEGROES    AT   WORK.  283 

By  the  sudden  turn  of  a  road  we  came  upon  some  six  hun- 
dred negroes,  who  were  stripped  to  their  waists,  and  hoeing  with 
implements  of  the  rudest  kind,  and  not  working  as  though  their 
hearts  were  fixed  upon  completing  the  job ;  yet  every  one  of  the 
slaves  was  looking  contented,  and  many  of  them  were  singing, 
while  others  joined  in  a  chorus. 

Upon  horseback,  armed  with  a  whip  and  a  brace  of  pistols,  was 
the  overseer  of  this  division  of  slaves.  He  was  a  swarthy-look- 
ing fellow,  with  wicked  black  eyes,  and  did  not  look  to  me  as 
though  he  would  stand  long  debating  the  merits  and  demerits  of 
a  negro.  He  saluted  the  Don  by  touching  his  hat,  and  looking 
inquiringly  at  Francisco  and  myself. 

"  How  does  the  cane  look,  Irenta?"  asked  the  Don. 

"  Never  better,  senor.  We  shall  make  five  hundred  more  boxes 
this  year  than  we  did  last,  unless  the  rain  fail  us." 

"  The  saints  be  praised  for  that,"  was  the  pious  ejaculation  of 
the  Don.  "  Next  year  we  can  plant  more  cane,  for  I  have  two 
hundred  and  fifty  more  slaves  on  their  way  to  the  plantation  for 
you  to  break  in." 

"  I  can  do  it,  senor,"  was  the  answer  ;  and  the  overseer  cracked 
his  long  whip  as  though  he  rather  liked  the  thought  of  what  was 
before  him. 

44  As  soon  as  they  have  gained  strength,  set  them  at  work,"  the 
master  said ;  and  the  overseer  bowed  in  token  of  obedience. 

I  sat  on  horseback  and  smoked  a  cigar,  and  watched  the  slaves 
as  they  stirred  up  the  land  and  eradicated  the  weeds,  which  were 
growing  between  the  rows  of  cane:  I  did  not  see  that  the  ne- 
groes were  overworked,  and  I  have  seen  in  the  Northern  States 
boys  driven  twice  as  hard  as  they  were.  Some  of  them  would 
lean  upon  their  hoes,  and  gaze  at  us  with  expressions  of  wonder 
upon  their  faces,  and  after  a  long  stare  would  resume  labor,  satis- 
fied with  their  observation,  while  others  would  make  some  humor- 
ous observation  which  would  set  the  blacks  roaring,  to  be  quick- 
ly silenced  by  the  loud  snap  of  the  overseer's  whip  ;  and  when  it 
did  snap,  the  slaves  went  to  work  with  energy,  as  though  to  make 
amends  for  their  idleness.  From  this  I  was  convinced  that  the 
dark  Ireuta  did  not  scruple  to  flog  if  occasion  required. 

"They  are  a  happy-looking  set  of  negroes — are  they  not?" 
asked  Don  Ingracia. 


284  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

I  replied  that  they  looked  far  from  miserable,  and  hoped  the 
blacks  were  as  well  treated  on  other  plantations. 

As  we  turned  our  horses'  heads  to  ride  to  the  next  field,  the 
overseer  spoke  to  us. 

u  If  you  are  going  to  the  cattle-field,  senor,  you  must  give  that 
English  bull  a  wide  berth,  for  he  has  grown  ugly  within  a  few 
days.  Last  night  he  gave  chase  to  two  of  the  field  hands,  and 
they  only  saved  themselves  by  reaching  a  tree." 

Don  Ingracia  laughed  and  said,  — 

"  If  I  had  a  riatta  I  would  attack  the  brute,  and  let  my  friends 
see  that  I  have  not  lost  the  skill  which  I  once  possessed.  I  think 
that  with  a  good  rope  on  his  hind  leg  I  could  soon  take  the  fight 
out  of  him." 

The  Don,  like  many  other  gentlemen  of  Cuba,  was  a  cattle  fan- 
cier, and  had  been  at  some  expense  in  importing  the  best  kind 
from  England  and  the  United  States.  He  had  a  pasture  contain- 
ing nearly  a  thousand  acres  ;  all  excellent  land,  and  suitable  for 
the  growth  of  coffee  and  sugar,  whenever  the  owner  was  disposed 
to  break  it  up  for  that  purpose. 

We  rode  for  some  distance  without  seeing  the  herd  ;  they  were 
in  a  valley  where  a  small  stream  of  water  was  running  through  a 
strip  of  most  luxuriant  vegetation,  and  were  reclining  under  shade 
trees,  chewing  their  cuds,  but  not  with  sweet  contentment,  for  the 
mosquitos  were  quite  thick,  and  were  annoying  the  animals  by 
their  sharp  attacks. 

Perhaps  it  was  on  this  account  the  bulls  were  unusually  sav- 
age ;  for  no  sooner  did  we  heave  in  sight  than  an  old  Spanish 
bull,  a  monster  of  ugliness,  commenced  roaring  and  throwing 
the  earth  into  the  air  as  he  pawed  it  with  his  hoofs.  This  vicious- 
ness  was  soon  communicated  to  an  English  bull,  which  came 
running  from  the  other  side  of  a  small  hill ;  and  the  brutes,  in- 
stead of  fighting  each  other,  seemed  disposed  to  make  common 
cause  and  fight  us. 

I  must  confess  that  oar  position  was  not  a  pleasant  one,  and  I 
suggested  as  much  to  the  Don  ;  but  that  gentleman  was  disposed 
to  laugh. 

"  Be  not  alarmed,  seuor,"  he  said,  "  for  I  know  the  habits  of 
these  animals,  and  think  they  are  peaceable.  Look  at  that  Devon 
cow.  Did  you  ever  see  anything  equal  her  ?  " 


THE    WILD    BULLS.  285 

"  I  see  her,"  I  replied,  "  but  I  can't  help  seeing  those  bulls  at 
the  same  time.  If  ever  two  animals  meant  mischief,  they  do,  and 
I  think  we  had  better  beat  a  retreat  while  there  is  time." 

"  And  I  second  that  motion  with  all  my  heart,"  cried  Fran- 
cisco. "  If  ever  an  animal  had  a  spite  against  me,  that  big  bull 
has,  and  just  because  I  have  winked  at  him  two  or  three  times. 
Let  us  leave  the  brutes  to  their  cuds  and  mosquitos." 

The  Don  smiled  and  moved  his  horse  nearer  to  the  bulls,  as 
though  to  show  how  much  they  were  maligned,  and  as  he  did  so, 
he  turned  to  point  out  a  favorite  heifer  among  the  herd.  The  bulls 
seemed  to  consider  this  as  an  offer  of  combat,  and  were  not  slow 
to  accept  the  challenge.  I  saw  them  lower  their  heads,  and  rush 
towards  the  Don,  while  I  forgot  my  own  safety  in  thinking  of  that 
of  Gracia's  father.  I  spurred  my  horse  towards  him,  and  shouted 
to  him  to  be  on  his  guard ;  but  the  old  gentleman  was  thinking  of 
his  favorite,  and  did  not  notice  me,  and  the  next  instant  horse 
and  rider  were  rolling  over  and  over  on  the  grass,  the  horse  with 
two  terrible  wrounds  in  its  side,  through  which  the  entrails  pro- 
truded. 

I  found  that  the  animal  I  rode  was  frightened,  and  that  it  was 
impossible  to  spur  him  towards  the  scene ;  but  if  the  life  of  the 
old  gentleman  was  to  be  saved,  it  was  necessary  I  should 
exert  myself.  I  did  not  think  that  if  he  was  out  of  the  way  it 
would  be  easy  for  me  to  enjoy  his  wealth  by  marrying  his  daugh- 
ter without  the  slightest  opposition.  No  ;  my  only  thought  was 
to  save  him,  even  at  the  risk  of  my  own  life. 

As  soon  as  the  horse  and  rider  had  fallen,  the  two  bulls  stopped 
for  a  moment  to  survey  the  damage  which  they  had  occasioned. 
The  pause  enabled  me  to  recollect  I  had  a  loaded  revolver  in 
my  pocket,  and  that  I  could  use  it  to  great  advantage  in  pro- 
tecting myself  and  the  Don.  As  for  Francisco,  he  had  galloped 
towards  a  gate  as  fast  as  his  horse  could  carry  him  ;  and,  to 
tell  the  truth,  I  did  not  much  blame  him,  for  why  should  he  en- 
danger his  life  to  save  that  of  a  man  who  he  knew  cared  noth- 
ing for  him,  owing  to  their  different  positions  in  society  ? 

Finding  that  my  horse  had  never  been  trained  to  encounter 
cattle,  and  would  not  approach  the  bulls,  I  dismounted,  and- 
throwing  the  bridle  over  my  left  arm,  advanced  upon  the  animals. 
Al  that  time  Don  Ingracia  was  struggling  to  get  upon  his  knees, 
having  extricated  himself  from  beneath  the  wounded  horse.  The 


286  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

old  gentleman,  I  noticed,  was  a  little  wild,  and  seemed  like  one 
who  had  lost  his  self-possession. 

As  I  advanced,  the  bulls  were  about  to  charge  for  a  second 
time  upon  the  Don,  and  I  knew  that  if  they  did,  they  would 
soon  stamp  out  all  evidence  of  vitality  which  he  contained.  I 
therefore  created  a  diversion  in  his  favor  by  shouting,  and  thus 
attracted  the  animals'  attention  ;  and  as  soon  as  they  saw  me, 
they  seemed  to  comprehend  that  I  was  the  real  enemy  whom 
they  had  got  to  encounter,  and  that  they  would  battle  with  me 
without  fear  or  favor.  I  saw  them  measure  the  distance  which 
separated  us,  and  I  noted  their  eyes  flash  fire  as  they  pawed  the 
earth  and  bellowed  forth  a  defiance.  My  horse  trembled  violently, 
and  showed  no  inclination  to  advance  farther ;  yet  I  continued  to 
move  on  in  the  direction  of  the  animals  until  I  was  within  two 
rods  of  them,  when  I  stopped  and  awaited  the  onset,  and  to  do 
that  successfully  drew  my  revolver  and  cocked  it. 

I  was  not  suffered  to  remain  long  in  suspense.  The  bulls 
grew  more  in  earnest  every  moment.  They  threw  clods  of  earth 
into  the  air,  and  the  foam  issued  from  their  nostrils  in  flakes.  I 
stood  before  them  calmly  awaiting  their  charge,  and  with  my  plans 
already  developed.  I  cast  one  quick  glance  at  Don  Ingracia,  to 
see  if  he  was  safe,  and  found  that  he  was  seated  on  the  grass 
looking  at  the  animals  and  myself  with  considerable  wonder.  I 
feared  that  if  my  antagonists  defeated  me,  they  would  turn  their 
attention  to  the  Don,  and  defeat  him  also  ;  so  I  gave  him  a  word 
of  advice. 

44  Don  Ingracia,"  I  said,  "  come  this  way,  and  mount  my.  horse, 
and  make  your  escape.  There  is  time  enough  to  do  so." 

44  And  what  will  you  do?"  asked  the  old  gentleman,  quite  com- 
posedly. 

44  O,  I  will  take  care  of  myself,"  I  said. 

44  And  I'll  stay  and  help  you,"  was  the  answer. 

44  Are  you  injured?  "  I  asked. 

44  My  leg  is  stiff  where  the  horse  rolled  on  it,  but  otherwise  I 
am  well." 

I  had  no  time  to  say  more.  With  a  mighty  bellow  the  two 
bulls  came  towards  me,  and  the  rascals  seemed  to  have  agreed  to 
a  division  of  their  work,  for  the  Spanish  bull  aimed  at  me,  and  the 
English  bull  steered  for  the  horse. 

I  found  I  could  not  be  certain  of  my  aim  if  I  held  on  to  the 


AN    ENCOUNTER.  287 

horse,  for  he  was  plunging  violently  to  free  himself,  so  I  slipped 
the  bridle  from  my  arm  and  let  him  run  ;  and  he  did  run,  with 
the  English  bull  close  to  his  heels,  a  pair  of  horns  making  un- 
pleasant gyrations  towards  his  haunches.  But  I  had  no  time  to 
note  more,  for  I  had  to  attend  to  my  own  safety.  The  Spanish 
bull  meant  mischief,  and  evidently  counted  on  tossing  me  on  his 
horns  without  the  slightest  resistance ;  but  he  was  slightly  disap- 
pointed, for  when  he  was  within  six  feet  of  me,  I  aimed  my  re- 
volver fair  at  his  head,  fired,  and  then  jumped  aside. 

The  ball  struck  fair,  for  I  heard  it ;  but .  the  bull's  head  had 
waged  too  many  combats  to  be  easily  affected  ;  therefore  the  bullet 
flattened  and  rolled  off  as  though  it  had  struck  against  a  wall  of 
steel.  On  went  the  animal,  while  the  only  notice  he  took  of 
my  presence  was  to  shake  his  head  more  fiercely,  and  to  bellow 
louder. 

The  animal  ran  about  a  rod  beyond  me,  stopped  suddenly, 
and  wheeled  about  to  see  what  had  become  of  me.  He  appeared 
slightly  astonished,  for  according  to  his  calculation  I  should  have 
been  some  twenty  feet  in  the  air,  and  revolving  on  rny  own  axis 
towards  the  earth,  like  one  of  the  planets.  He  evidently  did  not 
know  what  to  make  of  it,  but  his  pluck  was  equal  to  his  bulk,  and 
he  determined  to  try  again. 

"  My  friend,"  cried  the  Don,  who  was  still  seated,  too  ranch 
excited  to  make  his  escape,  "  I'm  fearful  that  bull  will  gore  you 
to  death." 

The  Don  was  quite  gentlemanly,  and  would  have  helped  me  if 
he  could.  As  it  was,  he  could  not  help  himself,  and  therefore 
was  to  be  excused. 

"  I  shall  try  to  prevent  him,"  I  answered  ;  and  I  would  have 
said  more,  but  the  bull  demanded  all  my  attention  just  at  that 
moment ;  for  he  made  a  second  plunge  at  me,  with  his  head 
close  to  the  ground,  and  his  horns  moving  as  though  a  nest 
of  hornets  was  flying  around  him.  He  steered  directly  for  me, 
his  tail  standing  out  as  straight  as  a  studding-sail  boom,  and  the 
hair  on  his  neck  curling  into  hard  knots  from  the  effects  of  his 
rage.  I  thought,  as  I  awaited  the  onset,  I  would  try  him  on 
another  tack,  for  I  didn't  intend  to  waste  any  more  powder  and 
ball.  When  he  was  within  six  feet  of  me,  I  stepped  one  side, 
and  he  plunged  along ;  but  as  he  did  so,  I  put  the  muzzle  of  my 
revolver  close  to  his  fore-shoulder,  and  fired. 


288  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

The  huge  brute  rail  on  for  a  few  feet,  then  faltered  and  fell 
upon  his  knees.  The  blood  gushed  out  of  his  wound  in  torrents, 
and  after  several  attempts  to  rise,  the  animal  rolled  over  on  his 
side,  and  bellowed  a  death-song  to  his  indifferent  harem,  most 
of  whom  were  feeding  quite  composedly  upon  the  hillside. 

Then  Don  Ingracia  saw  fit  to  rise  and  come  towards  me. 

"  I  suppose  there  is  no  danger  of  him  now,"  he  said. 

"I  think  not,"  I  answered. 

The  Don  began  to  praise  my  conduct,  which  I  knew  meant 
that  I  should  retaliate  and  praise  him  at  some  future  day.  The 
task  was  not  an  agreeable  one,  but  what  was  I  to  do  ?  I  loved 
his  daughter,  and  loved  her  more  and  more  as  I  saw  that  there 
was  a  prospect  of  losing  her.  I  was  determined  to  secure  the 
old  man's  respect  if  possible,  and  then  ask  him  for  the  lady's 
hand.  If  he  did  not  consent,  there  were  other  ways  of  proceeding, 
and  no  flattery  would  be  used. 

Before  we  reached  the  gate,  Francisco,  accompanied  by  the 
overseer,  Ireuta,  and  a  dozen  of  the  field  hands,  were  seen  rushing 
towards  us,  and  they  expressed  some  surprise  when  they  saw  we 
were  safe. 

"  Safe  !  "  cried  the  Don  ;  u  yes,  the  saints  be  praised,  we  are 
safe  ;  but,  Seiior  Francisco,  it  is  not  by  your  valor,  for  you  de- 
serted us  at  the  first  charge." 

"  And  why  did  I  do  so?  "  asked  my  friend,  without  the  slightest 
confusion.  "  "Was  I  not  attacked  by  a  bull  as  well  as  you,  and 
did  I  not  lead  him  away  to  a  distant  part  of  the  field,  so  that  you 
could  have  a  fair  fight?  Didn't  I  also  go  for  help?  and  lo !  the 
help  is  here ;  "  and  Francisco  pointed  to  the  grinning  negroes  who 
were  grouped  around  us. 

As  his  story  was  strictly  true,  the  Don  had  nothing  more  to 
say  ;  but  I  could  see  by  his  face  that  he  didn't  believe  what  had 
been  uttered,  and  probably  thought  that  Francisco  should  have 
perilled  his  life,  and  considered  himself  amply  repaid  with  a  word 
for  so  doing.* 

"  As  I  see  you  are  a  little  stiff,  perhaps  you  will  honor  me 
by  taking  iny  horse.  I  assure  you  I  can  walk  ;  "  and  Francisco 
dismounted. 

The  Don  didn't  like  the  idea  of  walking  to  his  house  with  a 
lame  leg,  and  he  didn't  wish  to  confess  he  was  injured  in  the 
least.  But  the  lame  limb  carried  the  day,  and  by  the  aid  of  the 


AN   INTERVIEW.  289 

slaves  the  old  gentleman  was  hoisted  upon  the  back  of  the  horse, 
and  started  for  home,  while  Francisco  and  myself  followed  slowly 
after ;  the  overseer  and  the  slaves  proceeded  to  the  spot  where 
the  dead  bull  lay,  for  the  purpose  of  serving  it  out  to  the  work- 
men as  food  for  the  next  day. 

"  Did  you  hear  the  old  fool?"  asked  Francisco,  as  we  walked 
along. 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  "  I  said. 

"  Why,  his  sneering  at  me  because  I  put  spurs  to  my  horse 
when  a  bull  was  close  upon  me,  and  would  have  thought  no  more 
of  tossing  me  than  a  nigger  baby.  I'm  not  such  a  fool  as  to  sac- 
rifice myself  on  his  account,  although  I  can't  say  how  I  should 
feel  if  I  was  in  love  with  his  daughter." 

"  Perhaps  you  would  have  acted  as  I  have  done,"  I  replied. 

44  Perhaps  I  should,"  responded  Francisco,  doubtingly ;  "  but  I 
have  my  suspicions  that  I  should  not." 

We  reached  the  house,  and  found  it  in  an  uproar.  Servants 
were  hurrying  to  and  fro  ;  one  was  on  horseback  just  starting  for 
a  doctor.  Every  one  was  concerned  and  excited  because  the 
great  man  of  the  mansion  had  met  with  an  accident,  and  injured 
one  of  his  legs.  Gracia  was  with  her  father,  —  so  one  of  the  ser- 
vants told  me,  —  and  I  judged  that  the  old  gentleman  was  some- 
thing of  a  Tartar  when  confined  to  his  room. 

At  length  I  sent  word  to  her,  and  she  promised  to  join  me  in 
the  sitting-room  in  a  few  minutes ;  and  to  that  apartment  I  re- 
paired, eager  for  an  interview,  for  it  seemed  an  age  since  I  had 
spoken  to  her  privately. 

It  was  just  dark  when  I  went  to  the  room  and  impatiently 
awaited  the  appearance  of  Gracia.  The  custom  of  the  country 
is  to  sit  in  the  dark  as  long  as  possible,  because  a  light  attracts 
so  many  winged  insects,  and  compels  the  closing  of  the  win- 
dows, excluding  that  air  which  is  so  delicious  after  the  sun  has 
set,  ladened  as  it  is  with  so  many  delightful  perfumes.  So 
absorbed  was  I  in  contemplating  and  listening  to  matters  out  of 
doors,  that  I  did  not  hear  Gracia  when  she  entered  the  apartment, 
and  she  laid  her  small  hand  upon  my  shoulder  before  I  was  aware 
of  her  presence. 

"  What  a  gallant  knight,"  she  said,  "  to  send  for  a  lady,  and 
fall  asleep  while  waiting  for  her !" 

I  caught  her  in  my  arms,  and  pressed  her  most  fervently  to  my 
19 


290  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

heart,  and,  to  tell  the  truth,  she  made  not  the  slightest  objec- 
tions. 

u  Can  you  remain  long?"  I  asked. 

"  Not  more  than  half  an  hour,"  she  replied,  "  and  then  I  shall 
have  to  return  to  my  father,  who  is  fretting  because  one  of  his 
slaves  has  run  away  this  evening,  and  gone  to  the  mountains. 
In  spite  of  the  condition  of  his  leg,  he  is  determined  to  go  in  pur- 
suit in  the  morning,  for  he  fears  that  if  one  slave  is  suffered  to 
escape,  it  will  encourage  others  to  make  the  attempt." 

"  How  is  your  father's  injury?  " 

"  It  is  not  near  as  bad  he  expected,  and  the  physician  says  he 
can  mount  his  horse  to-morrow,  if  he  desires.  He  speaks  in 
glowing  terms  of  you,  and  says  that  you  saved  his  life.  There  is 
one  thing  I  wish  you  would  promise  me,"  she  whispered. 

"  I  will  promise  anything  you  please,"  I  answered. 

"  If  my  father  concludes  to  search  for  the  slave  to-morrow,  I 
want  you  to  accompany  him." 

"  I  could  enjoy  myself  much  better  at  home  with  you,"  I  an- 
swered. 

"  I  grant  it,"  was  the  reply,  "  but  it  is  on  your  account  I  ask 
this  favor.  My  father  intimated  to  me  he  should  like  your  com- 
pany, but  felt  some  delicacy  in  inviting  you.  If  we  are  separated 
for  a  few  hours,  consider  how  delightful  it  will  seem  to  look  for- 
ward to  our  meeting  again." 

"  I  don't  like  the  business  of  hunting  a  slave  who  has  made  a 
bold  strike  for  his  liberty  ;  yet  to  oblige  you  and  win  you,  I  would 
do  most  anything.  There  will  be  some  excitement  in  the  chase, 
and  perhaps  I  can  benefit  the  poor  fellow  we  ride  after.  Yes,  I 
will  go,  but  I  must  have  a  kiss  to  pay  for  my  consent." 

Soon  afterwards  I  strolled  out  upon  the  piazza,  where  the 
major-domo  found  me,  and  stated  that  the  Don  desired  my  pres- 
ence in  his  private  apartment. 

"  Ah,  my  friend,"  he  said,  as  I  entered  the  room,  "  I  am  glad 
to  see  you.  You  saved  my  life  to-day,  and  now  I'm  under  double 
obligations  to  you.  Here's  Gracia,  however,  who  does  not  seem 
to  be  so  glad  to  see  you  as  I  could  wish.  Come,  girl,  smile  upon 
the  gentleman  who  saved  your  life  and  mine." 

"  Indeed,  father,  I'm  so  much  concerned  regarding  your  health, 
that  it's  doubtful  if  I  can  call  up  a  smile  for  any  one.  But  in  my 
heart  I'm  deeply  sensible  of  the  obligations  under  which  we  labor." 


THE  PROPOSED  SLAVE  HUNT.  291 

11  That's  well  said,  and  I'll  consent  that  your  smile  shall  re- 
main hidden  for  a  few  days.  Come,  young  gentleman,  be  seated, 
and  talk  with  me  of  America,  or  I'll  talk  with  you  of  Spain,  and 
tell  you  what  a  grand  nation  it  is.  To-morrow  it  is  probable 
I  shall  not  see  you  all  day,  for  one  of  my  best  slaves  has  run 
off,  and  I'll  hunt  for  a  week  but  I'll  find  him.  The  ungrateful 
hound  —  I've  treated  him  like  a  child  for  years,  and  may  the 
saints  curse  him  for  doing  as  he  has  done.  If  I  find  him,  I'll  cut 
his  black  hide  until  it  assumes  another  color.  If  I  could  induce  you 
to  join  me  to-morrow,  I  think  I  could  show  you  a  feature  of  our 
country  a  stranger  rarely  sees,"  the  Don  said,  turning  to  me,  and 
speaking  as  though  he  rather  thought  I  would  decline. 

4i  I  accept  the  invitation,"  I  said,  "not  for  the  purpose  of  slave- 
hunting,  —  for  I  rather  like  the  pluck  of  the  fellow  who  has  run 
away,  —  but  for  the  purpose  of  being  near  you,  and  aiding  you  if 
in  danger." 

"  You  give  me  joy  to  think  I'm  to  have  the  presence  of  so  ra- 
tional a  man.  I  usually  leave  these  things  to  my  overseer ;  but 
the  slave  who  has  left  me  is  of  some  importance,  and  I  desire  his 
capture  above  all  things.  We  shall  start  soon  after  daylight." 

I  bowed  and  took  my  leave,  but  it  was  a  late  hour  before  I 
slept,  for  Gracia  and  I  had  much  to  talk  of  before  we  retired. 

"  We  shall  have  fine  weather  for  the  hunt,"  the  Spaniard  said, 
as  he  sipped  his  coffee  the  next  morning.  *'  Irenta  tells  me  that 
the  dogs  are  eager  and  in  good  spirits,  and  will  take  the  scent 
readily." 

"  What  dogs  ?  "  I  asked,  in  astonishment. 

"  Why,  the  Cuban  bloodhounds,  to  be  sure.  How  did  you  sup- 
pose we  could  find  the  slave  without  their  assistance  ?  " 

I  began  to  feel  sorry  that  I  had  embarked  in  such  an  enter- 
prise, but  I  saw  no  way  to  recede. 

44 1  have  two  of  the  best  dogs  in  the  country,"  the  Don  con- 
tinued. "  They  are  fed  and  attended  by  white  men  alone,  and 
are  taught  to  always  manifest  signs  of  hostility  to  negroes.  They 
can  take  a  trail  and  keep  it  for  forty-eight  hours  without  sleep  or 
rest,  and  within  thirty-six  hours  of  an  escape.  By  bloodhounds 
we  are  enabled  to  keep  our  slaves  in  subjection,  and  prevent  them 
from  taking  to  the  woods  ;  for  the  blacks  fear  the  dogs,  and  well 
they  may.  The  animals  are  not  scrupulous  when  once  they 
come  up  with  a  runaway." 

• 


292  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

"  But  have  you  thought  of  the  barbarity  of  such  a  method?"  I 
asked,  without  stopping  to  think  of  the  importance  of  the  question. 

"  To  be  sure  I  have.  It  is  cruel  to  hunt  slaves  with  dogs,  but 
it  is  much  more  cruel  to  lose  your  property.  All  planters  with 
large  gangs  of  slaves  keep  dogs,  and  very  useful  they  are." 

I  shook  my  head,  but  the  Don  only  smiled. 

"  Why,  the  people  of  the  United  States  have  hunted  Indians 
with  dogs,  and  even  your  government  has  purchased  them  for  a 
similar  purpose." 

I  told  him  I  thought  not. 

"  Then  I  will  convince  you  that  such  is  the  case.  My  neigh- 
bor, Don  Enrique,  has  been  engaged  in  breeding  bloodhounds 
for  sale  for  many  years.  A  few  months  since  he  sold  the  Amerr 
lean  consul  at  Havana  thirty  of  the  animals,  at  an  enormous  price. 
The  dogs  went  to  Florida  to  hunt  the  Indians.  They  were 
bought  for  that  purpose,  and  used  for  that  purpose,  and  I  think 
the  State  Department  will  indorse  my  statement." 

Of  course  I  had  no  more  to  say  on  that  point,  and  by  the  time 
we  had  finished  our  coffee  and  chickens,  we  were  ready  for  a 
start.  The  evil-looking  Irenta,  overseer,  entered  the  room,  and 
announced  that  the  horses  and  dogs  were  ready. 

"  The  dogs  are  lively,"  he  said,  with  a  wicked  smile,  "  and 
would  think  nothing  of  eating  a  negro  for  breakfast.  For  fear  of 
accidents  I  have  put  muzzles  on  them,  for  I  know  you  esteem  the 
black  rascal  who  has  left  you." 

The  Don  made  a  faint  show  of  seeming  glad,  but  I  thought 
he  would  have  had  but  little  objection  to  so  exciting  a  spec- 
tacle ;  for  Spaniards  love  cock  fights,  bull  baits,  tiger  fights,  and 
battles  of  every  kind  excepting  those  decided  by  a  charge  of  bay- 
onets and  cavalry.  Those  they  don't  like,  and  I  don't  know  that 
I  blame  them  much. 

We  lighted  cigars,  filled  our  cases  with  the  same,  and  then 
found  our  horses  at  the  front  door.  Two  overseers,  besides  the 
Don  and  myself,  were  of  the  party,  and  we  were  considered  suf- 
ficient to  cope  with  the  slave  by  the  aid  of  two  dogs  and  our 
knives  and  pistols. 

I  must  confess  I  entertained  a  pretty  good  opinion  of  the 
smartness  of  the  runaway,  when  I  saw  such  formidable  prepara- 
tions to  capture  him  ;  but  we  sprang  into  our  saddles,  —  the  Don 
with  a  few  groans  as  he  thought  of  his  bruises,  —  and  then  rode 


ON   THE   TRAIL.  293 

to  the  dog-kennel,  which  was  near  the  stable,  and  so  situated  that 
only  the  overseers  could  have  access  to  it  through  the  house 
which  they  inhabited  with  their  families.  This  arrangement  pre- 
vented the  negroes  from  becoming  familiar  with  the  dogs,  and 
thereby  refusing  to  trail  them  in  case  they  escaped,  as  such  things 
had  occurred  on  plantations  where  discipline  was  light. 

Irenta  went  into  one  of  the  houses,  and  returned  with  two 
bloodhounds  of  enormous  size.  They  were  of  a  deep  bay  color, 
with  huge  jaws  and  powerful  haunches,  but  did  not  seem  any 
too  good-natured  even  towards  their  masters,  for  I  really  thought 
the  brutes  would  have  taken  mouthfuls  from  the  overseer's  body 
by  way  of  a  lunch,  if  they  had  not  been  muzzled.  Possibly  they 
more  than  half  suspected  Irenta  was  a  negro,  and  he  was  black 
enough  for  one,  there  is  no  doubt. 

The  hounds  were  kept  in  control  by  means  of  a  leash ;  other- 
wise they  would  have  started  off  upon  the  first  negro's  track 
they  came  across,  and  would  have  followed  the  poor  black,  and 
torn  him  down,  even  if  he  had  been  seated  in  the  midst  of  his 
family.  They  uttered  two  or  three  impatient  bays  when  they 
found  that  they  could  not  start  off  at  pleasure,  and  then,  with 
sulky  airs,  lay  down  to  rest  and  await  our  pleasure. 

"  They  are  in  good  condition  this  morning,"  Irenta  said,  with 
a  cold-blooded  smile,  "  and  can  follow  a  negro  for  hours  over 
hills  and  through  woods.  They  are  game  animals,  and  worthy  of 
even  the  captain  general." 

44  Ah,  that  they  are,"  the  Don  said.  "  I  don't  believe  his  ex- 
celfency  ever  saw  a  pair  which  could  take  a  slave  as  neat.  They 
do  honor  to  their  training." 

The  overseer  touched  his  hat  at  the  compliment,  ard  patted  the 
dogs  ;  but  they  did  not  seem  to  appreciate  the  flattery,  and  looked 
more  evil  disposed  than  ever. 

"  How,"  I  asked,  "  are  the  dogs  to  know  the  direction  the 
slave  has  taken?" 

"  We  will  soon  show  the  senor  that  the  dogs  are  trained  in  the 
most  approved  manner ; "  and  as  Irenta  spoke,  he  entered  his 
house,  and  returned  with  a  pair  of  old  pants  which  had  belonged 
to  the  negro  who  had  escaped. 

The  pants  were  laid  before  the  dogs,  but  they  refused  to  take 
the  least  notice  of  them,  and  cast  their  bright  eyes  upon  objects 
afar  off,  as  though  they  longed  to  be  at  work. 


294  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

"  It's  no  use,  senor,"  Irenta  said,  looking  at  the  Don  ;  "  the 
dogs  will  not  take  the  scent  with  the  muzzles  on." 

"  Then  off  with  them,  in  the  name  of  the  saints,"  cried  the 
Don.  "  It  is  better  to  tear  the  slave  limb  from  limb  than  let  him 
escape  without  some  punishment." 

This  was  an  order  which  the  overseers  relished.  I  could  tell 
that  by  the  grim  smile  which  stole  over  their  swarthy  features, 
and  by  the  glitter  of  their  black  eyes.  What  cared  they,  in  the 
excitement  of  the  hunt,  how  much  the  runaway  suffered  ?  The 
muzzles  were  taken  off,  and  the  huge  and  sinewy  brutes  uttered  a 
bay  of  joy  as  they  licked  their  chops,  and  snuffed  the  morning  air. 

"  They  have  not  been  fed  for  twenty-four  hours,  senor,"  said 
Irenta,  with  a  glance  of  admiration  at  the  dogs ;  "  and  if  they 
should  meet  the  black  rascal,  his  life  would  not  be  worth  a  real." 

"  So  much  the  better,"  replied  the  Don.  *'  The  slave  had  no 
gratitude,  or  he  would  never  have  left  so  kind  a  master  as  I  have 
been  to  him." 

I  thought  his  overseers  could  have  told  a  different  story  had 
they  been  so  disposed,  and  I  wondered  what  they  had  done  to 
the  black  to  drive  him  away  from  his  home ;  and  while  I  was 
wondering  and  speculating,  Irenta  spread  the  ragged  pants  before 
the  dogs,  and  they  commenced  sniffing  at  them  eagerly,  and  then 
with  noses  close  to  the  ground  they  circled  round  and  round,  in- 
creasing the  circumference  of  the  circles  each  minute,  until  just  as 
they  reached  the  orchard,  beneath  an  orange  tree,  the  hounds  ut- 
tered fierce  bays,  and  started  off  towards  a  high  hill  which  skirted 
the  extensive  plantation  of  Don  Ingracia,  and  which  was  covered 
with  trees  and  underbrush. 

"  Now,  then,  Senor  Capitan,  we  must  follow,"  cried  Don  Ingra- 
cia, striking  his  spurs  into  his  horse's  sides,  and  causing  him  to 
clear  a  fence  with  a  bound.  I  followed  and  kept  close  to  the  Don, 
while  the  two  overseers  remained  near  the  dogs,  which  ran  with 
noses  to  the  ground,  not  faster  than  eight  miles  an  hour. 

"The  scent  is  feeble,"  said  the  Don,  "  but  I  will  wager  an 
ounce  that  it  will  lead  us  to  the  Devil's  Glen  in  less  than  three 
hours." 

I  then  learned  that  the  glen  was  a  place  inaccessible  to  horses, 
and  noted  as  the  resort  of  all  the  runaway  slaves  in  the  neighbor- 
hood. 


OUIi   COURSE.  *        295 


CHAPTER  XV. 

IN  PURSUIT    OF  A  RUNAWAY    SLAVE.  —  WHAT    HAPPENED    TO    US, 
AND   HOW  WE   MET  WITH   SEVERAL   ADVENTURES   ON  THE  WAY. 

WE  passed  over  an  uncultivated  country,  our  course  sometimes 
leading  us  among  bushes  so  thick  that  it  was  extremely  difficult 
to  urge  our  animals  through  them.  At  other  times  we  crossed 
small  streams  and  bogs,  where  our  horses  floundered  until  they 
were  nearly  up  to  their  saddle  girths  in  mud  and  water ;  but  still 
the  bloodhounds  kept  the  scent,  and  if  puzzled  it  was  only  for  a 
moment.  They  tracked  the  slave  as  truly  as  though  he  had  been 
but  a  few  rods  in  advance  of  them,  and  in  sight  all  of  the  time. 

The  mountain,  towards  which  we  were  directing  our  course, 
looked  barren  and  rugged,  and  its  base  did  not  seem  more  than  five 
miles  from  the  plantation  when  we  started ;  but  I  found  that  ap- 
pearances were  deceitful,  and  at  nine  o'clock  we  were  still  toiling 
on  under  a  sun  which  seemed  to  blister  the  skin  upon  our  hands  and 
faces,  although  both  were  protected  by  hats  and  gloves.  Our 
horses,  too,  suffered  intensely,  bitten  as  they  were  by  swamp  flies 
and  mosquitos  of  mammoth  size  and  unparalleled  ferocity.  But 
still  we  pressed  on,  ascending  a  rising  grade,  leaving  the  trees  and 
bushes  behind  us. 

"  The  saints  be  praised,"  muttered  the  Don,  "  we  are  almost 
at  the  place  where  we  can  dismount  from  these  beasts  and  stretch 
our  limbs.  Had  I  known  the  sun  was  so  hot,  I  should  have  re- 
mained at  home." 

I  wished  he  hacj  known  it,  for  I  thought  how  much  more 
pleasant  my  time  would  have  passed  had  Gracia  been  by  my  side. 
Sleeping  or  waking,  she  was  ever  in  my  thoughts,  and  I  had 
reason  to  believe  I  was  the  only  object  she  cared  for,  with  the 
exception  of  her  father. 

We  struggled  up  a  steep  hill  so  slippery  that  even  the  horses 
could  hardly  maintain  their  footing,  and  pressed  close  upon  the 
dogs  until  we  reached  the  summit ;  and  then  a  halt  was  called,  and 
a  welcome  one  it  was  to  us  all. 


296  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

"  Here,"  said  Irenta,  "  we  leave  the  horses,  for  it  is  impossi- 
ble for  them  to  go  farther.  We  have  to  descend  the  hill,  and  then 
we  shall  know  whether  the  slave  has  escaped  to  the  glen." 

We  dismounted  and  tied  our  animals  to  some  shrubs  which  grew 
upon  the  hill,  and  which  formed  an  excellent  shade  for  the  brutes 
from  the  hot  sun  ;  but  before  we  started  on  foot,  the  second  overseer, 
Pedro,  took  from  a  knapsack  flasks  of  claret  and  a  glass.  The 
sight  of  the  wine  was  far  from  being  unwelcome,  for  our  throats 
were  parched  by  our  long  ride.  We  drank  a  tumbler  full  of  the 
claret,  each  of  us,  and  then  turning,  followed  the  dogs  down 
the  hill,  and  floundered  on  amid  wrecked  trees  which  had  been 
uprooted  by  hurricanes,  and  from  the  trunks  of  which  new  shoots 
were  lifting  their  heads  only  to  be  served  in  the  some  manner  by 
the  next  fierce  shock  that  swept  through  the  valley,  leaving  ruin 
and  destruction  behind.  All  was  quiet  and  silent  as  death.  Even 
the  hounds  uttered  no  bays,  as  though  they  knew  that  the  end 
of  our  mission  was  near ;  but  they  followed  the  scent  with  noses 
close  to  the  ground,  and  with  their  blood-red  tongues  hanging 
from  their  mouths,  from  which  dripped  drops  of  foam. 

We  were  near  a  decayed  tree,  which  had  yielded  years  before  to 
the  wind,  and  I  was  about  to  spring  over  it,  when  I  was  checked 
by  a  sudden  hiss  which  sounded  so  ominous  it  was  not  neces- 
sary to  tell  me  that  danger  was  before  us.  The  dogs  were  on 
the  tree,  and  about  to  spring  to  the  ground  ;  but  at  the  sound  of 
the  hiss,  they  drew  back,  and  manifested  some  signs  of  terror. 
I  did  not  move,  for  my  experience  in  Africa  had  taught  me  that 
near  at  hand  was  a  serpent,  and  one  of  the  venomous  kind. 
I  feared  to  stir,  for  I  did  not  know  but  I  might  step  on  the  slimy 
monster ;  and  while  I  was  looking  among  the  underbrush  and  de- 
cayed limbs,  the  devil  prompted  Irenta  to  come  up  and  push  the 
hounds  off  the  trunk  of  the  tree,  but  before  I  had  time  to  warn 
him  that  danger  was  before  us. 

"There  is  a  snake  near  at  hand,"  I  said.  "  Tread  carefully  or 
you  may  step  on  him." 

*'  A  snake !  "  cried  all  three  Spaniards  in  a  breath.  "  The 
Virgin  protect  us  ; "  and  every  man  of  them  crossed  himself  as 
though  already  bitten. 

"  Where  is  he?"  cried  the  Don,  glancing  around  with  nervous 
haste,  and  retreating  backwards  with  trembling  steps. 

I  had  no  occasion  to  answer  the  question.     On  the  other  side 


A   SINGULAR   COMBAT.  297 

of  the  fallen  tree  there  was  a  sudden  yelp,  and  I  saw  one  of  the 
hounds  in  the  embrace  of  a  snake,  which  was  not  larger  in  circum- 
ference than  a  silver  dollar,  and  not  more  than  five  feet  long,  as 
near  as  I  could  judge.  From  the  hood  upon  the  snake's  neck, 
I  thought  it  was  a  cobra,  one  of  the  most  venomous  reptiles  in 
Cuba.  Its  bite  is  death,  and  animals  of  all  kind  shun  it  with 
an  instinctive  dread  of  its  power,  with  the  single  exception  of  the 
hog,  which  boldly  offers  combat,  and  always  triumphs  by  eating 
its  adversary,  and  appears  but  little  affected  by  the  bites  which  it 
receives  during  the  fight.  This  is  probably  owing  to  the  fat  upon 
the  body  of  the  porcine,  poison  not  being  able  to  penetrate  to  its 
vital  parts.  The  slaves  tell  of  many  desperate  combats  between 
the  cobra  and  hog,  but  they  always  acknowledge  that  the  latter 
conquers,  and  conclude  by  eating  the  body  of  the  slain  with  fero- 
cious satisfaction  and  keen  relish. 

As  I  said  before,  the  hound  uttered  a  yelp  of  terror  upon  being 
attacked,  and  strove  with  its  ponderous  jaws  to  bite  the  cobra ; 
but  the  snake  was  too  quick  in  its  motions,  and  I  could  see, 
while  standing  near,  regarding  the  fight,  that  the  reptile's  fangs 
were  repeatedly  struck  at  the  hound's  neck,  and  each  bite  was 
succeeded  by  a  wail  of  terror  on  the  part  of  the  dog,  while  the  ani- 
mal that  was  uninjured  suddenly  turned,  and  with  its  tail  between 
its  legs  struck  a  straight  line  for  home,  too  much  frightened  at 
the  position  of  its  companion  to  think  of  rendering  assistance,  or 
to  care  about  the  trail  which  it  had  followed  so  faithfully  during 
the  forenoon. 

The  fight  between  the  snake  and  the  dog  was  soon  termi- 
nated. The  poison  which  the  former  had  communicated  to  the 
latter  began  to  work,  and  in  five  minutes  the  hound  was  hardly 
able  to  stand,  and  seemed  quite  bewildered,  while  the  cobra  quiet- 
ly commenced  preparations  for  leaving  the  body  of  its  victim. 

During  all  this  time  our  party  was  too  much  astonished  to  offer 
the  hound  the  least  assistance.  The  Spaniards  were  as  fearful  of 
the  deadly  enemy  as  myself,  and  perhaps  more ;  and  while  the 
fight  was  going  on,  they  stood  crossing  themselves,  and  calling 
upon  the  saints  to  look  down  and  protect  them. 

"  Diablo  I  "  cried  the  Don  ;  "  the  viper  will  kill  my  dog.  Irenta, 
save  him  from  such  a  fate." 

"  Ah,  senor,  but  the  cursed  beast  will  bite  me,  whom  the  saints 
protect  from  such  a  death.  May  the  devil  confound  him,  and  burn 
him  for  this." 


298  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

"  But  my  dog,"  muttered  the  Don,  who  took  excellent  care  to 
keep  at  a  distance. 

Irenta  shrugged  his  shoulders,  and  showed  no  inclination  of 
saving  the  animal,  even  if  such  a  thing  were  possible.  The  Don 
grew  indignant. 

"  Irenta,"  he  said,  "  will  you  kill  the  snake,  whom  the  devil 
take,  or  must  I  lose  the  dog  ?  " 

"  The  dog  is  already  lost,"  I  said,  coming  to  the  relief  of  the 
overseer,  much  to  his  gratification.  "  All  the  surgeons  in  Cuba 
could  not  save  him,  and  it  is  useless  for  a  brave  man  to  endanger 
his  life  by  thinking  of  such  a  thing." 

The  Don  was  under  too  many  obligations  to  me  to  get  enraged, 
and  therefore  kept  at  a  safe  distance,  and  asked,  — 

"  Can't  we  kill  the  devil,  and  thus  revenge  the  dog?  He  is  a 
noble  animal,  and  cost  me  two  ounces  when  a  pup." 

The  cobra  was  satisfied  with  what  it  had^  done,  for  it  began  to 
crawl  away  from  the  dog,  but  hissed  as  though  it  hated  us  more 
than  the  hound.  Once  the  reptile  stopped  and  raised  its  hooded 
head,  and  its  sharp  eyes  gleamed  at  us  as  though  uncertain  wheth- 
er we  should  be  spared.  I  thought  it  a  shame  to  let  the  snake  es- 
cape, but  did  not  care  to  attack  it  with  a  stick,  so  tried  the  effect 
of  powder  and  ball,  and  the-next  instant  the  cobra  was  making  the 
dust  fly  as  it  tied  itself  up  in  knots,  and  even  bit  its  own  body  in 
agony. 

My  shot  had  taken  effect  in  the  head  of  the  snake,  and  its  power 
to  injure  was  gone.  Even  the  hound  rejoiced  at  the  revenge,  for 
the  dying  brute  raised  itself  upon  its  fore  legs  and  uttered  one  deep 
bay,  and  then  tumbled  over  dead,  and  the  cobra  was  not  long  in 
following  his  example.  It  straightened  its  body  out,  uttered  one 
hiss,  and  gave  up  the  ghost. 

"  A  cussed  viper  !  "  muttered  the  Don,  seizing  a  stick  and  pound- 
ing the  body.  "  It  killed  one  of  my  best  dogs,  and  what  am  I  to 
do  now,  I  should  like  to  know  ?  " 

I  told  them,  as  we  were  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  glen, 
that  we  had  better  continue  our  explorations,  with  a  careful  eye 
for  cobras  —  a  remark  that  made  all  three  of  the  Spaniards  glance 
around  among  the  brush  most  nervously. 

My  advice  carried  the  day.  We  resolved  to  push  on  ;  and  on 
we  went,  startled  at  every  rustle  of  the  leaves,  and  expecting  to 
see  a  snake  at  every  step.  At  length  we  reached  the  passage 


UNDECIDED   WHAT  TO   DO.  299 

that  was  to  lead  us  to  the  glen.  It  was  not  twenty  feet  wide,  and 
had  been  formed  at  some  early  period  by  the  rains,  which  had 
washed  down  the  mountains  and  gullied  out  the  space.  It  was 
rough  and  wild,  and  contained  dead  trees,  swept  from  the  sides 
of  the  mountains,  and  huge  rocks  which  could  have  crushed  an 
army,  if  one  had  entered  the  gorge  on  hostile  intents. 

Over  such  debris  we  passed  along  slowly,  leaping  from  trees  to 
stones  and  stones  to  trees,  and  all  the  time  the  sun  was  pouring 
down  upon  us  as  though  it  would  boil  our  brains  and  roast  our  bodies. 
The  Don  suffered  more  than  the  rest  of  us,  and  it  was  my  privi- 
lege to  assist  and  encourage  him  when  he  most  needed  help. 

After  half  an  hour's  hard  work  we  at  length  got  through  the 
gorge,  and  then  were  amply  repaid  for  our  trouble,  for  a  sceq^ 
of  wildness  greeted  us.  In  the  centre  of  the  glen  was  a  lake 
of  clear  water,  containing  some  thirty  acres,  and  fed  from  the 
mountains.  Fish  must  have  abounded  there,  for  I  saw  numbers 
of  them  jump  from  the  water  as  though  longing  to  be  caught. 
Around  the  lake  were  numerous  groves  of  trees,  while  the  moun- 
tainous sides  were  almost  perpendicular,  and  studded  with  huge 
boulders,  which  looked  as  though  they  needed  but  a  touch  to  send 
them  crushing  to  the  valley.  It  was  one  of  the  most  solitary  look- 
ing spots  I  had  ever  .seen.  Nothing  was  in  sight  but  a  huge  vul- 
ture, which  was  hovering  over  the  water. 

I  looked  towards  the  Don  to  see  what  he  counselled  next,  but 
that  gentleman  had  nothing  to  say.  He  was  willing  to  turn  back, 
or  lie  down  and  rest,  neither  of  which  I  was  anxious  to  do,  for  I 
had  some  strong  reason  for  letting  the  Spaniards  see  that  the  only 
American  of  the  party  could  stand  fatigue  with  the  best  of  them. 
Irenta's  heart  I  had  won  by  killing  the  snake,  and  standing  be- 
tween him  and  the  Don.  The  second  overseer  looked  to  Irenta 
ifor  advice,  and  believed  as  he  believed. 

"  We  will  leave  the  Don  to  guard  the  outlet  to  the  glen,"  I  said, 
"  while  we  separate  and  search  for  the  slave.  It  will  save  time, 
and  enable  us  to  return  to  the  plantation  before  dark." 

The  Don  didn't  like  the  arrangement,  but  he  finally  consented, 
and  while  the  two  overseers  walked  off  in  one  direction  around  the 
lake,  I  walked  off  in  another,  with  no  fears  and  no  hopes  of  meet- 
ing the  one  I  was  in  search  of;  and,  to  tell  the  truth,  I  did  not 
have  any  great  wish  to,  for  I  thought  that  a  single-handed  fight 
with  a  desperate  slave  was  not  wanting  to  complete  my  reputa- 
tion at  San  Philipe. 


300  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

I  had  walked,  I  think,  about  half  a  mile  from  the  place  where 
we  entered,  and  was  getting  most  heartily  tired  of  the  fun,  when 
I  thought  I  would  visit  a  clump  of  trees,  and  rest  myself  in  the 
shade.  I  approached  the  spot  softly,  for  I  had  come  upon  it  ab- 
ruptly by  turning  a  point  that  reached  nearly  to  the  edge  of  the 
lake  ;  but  before  I  had  taken  many  steps  I  stopped  suddenly,  for 
before  me  stood  a  huge  negro,  naked  from  his  waist  upwards. 

I  think  if  I  had  been  in  Africa,  and  had,  while  walking  about 
the  outskirts  of  one  of  the  towns,  stumbled  on  a  sleeping  lion, 
I  could  not  have  been  more  surprised  than  I  was  to  see  that  stal- 
wart negro  standing  before  me,  for  I  had  not  expected  to  meet 
with  any  one  in  my  walk,  or  perhaps  I  should  have  chosen  com- 
pany. 

Perhaps  it  was  lucky  for  him  and  for  myself  that  the  negro  did 
not  see  me,  for  he  was  standing  with  his  back  towards  me,  and 
intent  upon  something  in  the  water ;  and  after  a  few  seconds 
I  had  no  difficulty  in  making  out  that  the  slave  was  fishing, 
and  no  doubt  depended  in  a  measure  upon  his  success  for  a 
supper. 

I  placed  my  pistol  where  I  could  find  it  in  a  hurry,  and  then 
walked  quietly  up  to  the  black ;  but  I  made  so  little  noise  he 
did  not  hear  me.  At  length  I  spoke,  but  as  calm  and  cool  as  if 
we  had  been  on  the  plantation,  and  surrounded  by  half  a  dozen 
overseers. 

"  Do  you  have  good  luck  fishing?  "  I  sa'id. 

The  slave  started,  dropped  his  fish-pole  into  the  water,  and  then 
jumped  more  than  ten  feet  in  a  direct  line  before  he  turned  to  face 
me.  His  eyes  displayed  the  terror  which  filled  his  heart,  and  his 
skin  was  one  shade  whiter  than  usual.  He  glared  at  m«  for  a 
moment,  but  I  pretended  not  to  notice  his  fear,  although  I  must 
confess  that  I  kept  one  eye  on  his  movements  thinking  he  would 
draw  his  knife  and  make  a  rush  at  me. 

"  The  fish  don't  bite  very  briskly,"  I  said,  stooping  down  and 
taking  up  his  fish-pole. 

The  slave  was  astonished,  and  could  hardly  find  words  to  an- 
swer. If  I  had  spoken  to  him  crossly,  and  had  manifested  hostile 
intentions,  he  would  have  known  how  to  act,  and  would  have  de- 
fended himself  by  fighting  every  odds. 

"  Let  me  see  if  I  can't  have  better  luck  fishing  than  you,"  I  said, 
tearing  a  rag  from  the  hook,  and  finding  that  it  was  really  a  good 


A   LITTLE   FISHING.  301 

Jr 

one.  "  Come,  catch  me  that  worm  you  see  crawling  upon  the 
tree.  The  one  with  the  green  belly  and  red  sides.  That  is  the 
one.  Now  bring  it  here." 

The  ascendency  of  a  white  man  still  held  good  over  him,  for 
he  made  haste  to  obey,  as  though  desirous  of  pleasing,  and  was 
still  on  a  plantation.  His  face,  to  be  sure,  wore  many  expres- 
sions of  surprise,  but  his  reason  had  not  recovered  its  sway  since 
my  abrupt  appearance. 

"  Now  we  shall  see  if  I  can  be  more  fortunate  than  you,"  I  said, 
as  I  adjusted  the  bright-colored  worm  to  the  hook  in  a  very  scien- 
tific manner,  and  gave  it  a  cast  upon  the  lake. 

The  slave  actually  smiled,  and  looked  exceedingly  pleased  and 
interested ;  but  for  all  that  I  did  not  for  a  moment  turn  my 
back  upon  him,  for  fear  that  something  might  happen,  and  that 
something,  I  supposed,  would  be  a  sharp  knife  entering  my  back, 
near  a  shoulder-blade. 

"  Sit  down,"  I  said,  "  and  you  shall  see  me  catch  you  a  fish 
for  supper."  * 

I  pointed  to  a  stone  about  two  fathoms  from  me,  and  the  slave 
obeyed,  and  watched  my  line  with  great  interest. 

I  drew  my  line  in,  and  gave  it  a  second  cast,  and  it  had  no 
sooner  struck  the  water  than  a  fish  jumped  for  the  hook  and  swal- 
lowed it  with  ardent  relish.  He  was  a  big  one,  and  I  commenced 
playing  him,  for  he  showed  the  most  determined  fight.  I  gave 
him  nearly  all  the  line  I  had,  before  he  stopped  or  manifested 
any  signs  of  rising.  Then  I  drew  him  in  slowly,  and  the  slave 
followed  my  movements  with  the  utmost  concern. 

"  O,  master,"  he  said,  in  Spanish,  "  I  fear  you  will  lose  the 
fish  unless  you  haul  quickly." 

"  By  that  means  I  should  certainly  lose  him,"  I  answered ;  but 
the  slave  did  not  understand  the  science  of  fishing,  and  was  in- 
clined to  doubt. 

By  this  time  my  prize  was  pretty  nearly  tired  out ;  so  I  gently 
drew  him  towards  the  shore,  and  then,  with  a  sudden  swing, 
landed  a  three-pound  trout-looking  fish  at  the  feet  of  the  slave, 
who  seized  upon  it  with  many  expressions  of  delight. 

"  Now  find  me  another  worm,"  I  said,  still  keeping  calm,  and 
maintaining  an  air  of  superiority  which  I  knew  the  slave  had  been 
accustomed  to. 

He  hurried  from  tree  to  tree  until  he  had  found  the  kind  of 


302  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

insect  which  I  desired,  and  brought  it  to  me  with  many  expres- 
sions of  joy. 

"  Now  we  shall  have  another,"  he  said. 

"  Do  you  feel  hungry?  "  I  asked. 

"  Ah,  senor,  I  have  eaten  nothing  but  fruit  for  thirty-six  hours." 

"  And  you  would  like  a  piece  of  broiled  fish  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Yes,  senor,  very  much." 

I  tossed  him  half  a  dozen  matches,  which  I  had  in  my  pocket. 

"  Make  a  fire  and  you  shall  cook  the  fish,  and  I  will  help  you 
eat  it." 

Just  at  that  moment  I  had  a  fresh  bite,  and  succeeded  in  land- 
ing a  fish  that  resembled  a  perch,  and  which  weighed  about  a 
pound.  I  began  to  like  the  fun,  and  the  negro  seemed  as  pleased 
as  myself.  He  took  the  hook  from  the  fish's  mouth,  and  found 
me  half  a  dozen  worms  without  delay. 

"  Why  did  you  leave  Don  Ingracia?"  I  said,  while  the  negro 
was  collecting  some  dry  wood  to  start  a  fire. 

Tfce   slave  started,  and  left  his  work.     I  had  touched  upon  a 

subject   that   interested   him  more  than  fishing.      He  advanced 

-  towards  me,  but  while  I  kept  an  eye  upon  his  movements,  I  did 

not  relinquish  the  fish-pole.     I  did  not  fear  him  much,  for  I  saw 

he  had  not  drawn  his  knife. 

"  Senor,"  he  asked^  folding  his  arms  across  his  broad  chest, 
"  how  do  you  know  that  I  am  Don  Ingracia's  slave?" 

"  O,  by  your  appearance.  The  Don  described  you,  even  to 
your  eyebrows." 

"  And  you  have  come  in  pursuit  of  me  —  have  you  ?  "  the  negro 
asked,  with  a  bitter  laugh  ;  and  his  hand  rested  upon  the  hilt  of 
his  knife,  as  though  half  inclined  to  draw  it. 

"  The  Don  asked  me  to  keep  him  company,  and  I  consented. 
There's  another  fish.  Take  it  off  the  hook." 

It  was  astonishing  to  see  how  quick  he  obeyed.  The  voice  of 
a  white  man  was  a  power  with  him. 

"  Is  Don  Ingracia  here  ?  "  the  slave  asked,  as  soon  as  he  had 
unhooked  the  fish. 

"  He  is,  and  two  of  his  overseers  with  him." 
"  Let  them  come,"  the  negro  cried,  drawing  his  knife  and 
flourishing  it  for  the  first  time,  while  his  face  began  to  exhibit  all 
the  workings  of  his  hate  and  rage.  "  Let  them  come,"  he  re- 
peated, u  and  they  shall  find  I  can  still  use  my  arms.  I'll  die 
before  I  go  back  to  the  plantation." 


TALKING   WITH   A    SLAVE.  303 

"  Put  up  your  knife,"  I  said,  rather  sharply,  but  still  coolly. 
"  You  won't  use  it  to-day." 

He  hesitated  about  obeying,  but  I  turned  and  looked  him  full 
in  the  face,  and  then  he  did  as  requested. 

"  Why  did  you  run  away  from  the  plantation?"  I  asked. 

44  Because  one  of  the  overseers  struck  me  with  his  whip." 

"  Why  did  he  strike  you?" 

"  I  was  resting  for  a  moment  in  the  field,  and  the  overseer 
came  up  behind  me  and  laid  his  lash  over  my  back.  From  that 
moment  I  determined  to  run,  for  I  was  not  born  to  be  beaten  like 
a  dog." 

And  from  his  haughty  manner  I  began  to  think  he  was  right. 

44  You  should  have  complained  to  the  Don,  and  not  run,"  I  said. 

44  And  I  should  have  been  beaten  much  worse  for  it,"  was  the 
answer ;  and  I  have  no  doubt  he  was  correct. 

44  At  any  rate,  I  want  you  to  return  with  me  to  the  plantation," 
I  remarked,  landing  another  fish,  which  I  motioned  the  negro  to 
secure,  and  he  obeyed  with  alacrity. 

44  No,  senor,"  he  said.  44 1  can  never  return ;  I  should  be 
whipped,  and  sold  to  a  coffee  planter,  and  beaten  like  a  dog  un- 
less I  worked  day  and  night.  Here  I'm  free,  and  here  I  intend 
to  remain  until  I- die,  or  am  hunted  to  death." 

44  You  must  go  with  me,"  I  remarked,  quietly.  "  I  have  come 
a  long  distance  for  you,  and  I  don't  want  to  go  back  without  your 
company." 

44  Perhaps  the  senor  can  carry  me  back  even  if  I  don't  want  to 
go,"  he  said,  showing  his  knife,  and  looking  wicked. 

44  Put  up  your  weapon,"  I  cried.  44  You  must  go  with  me,  and 
the  knife  won't  benefit  you  in  the  least." 

The  slave  laughed  most  scornfully. 

44  We  are  alone,"  he  said, 44  and  with  one  blow  I/  could  end  your 
life  as  easily  as  I  can  crush  that  worm  ;  "  and  he  struck  it  with 
his  fist,  and  killed  it  of  course ;  but  it  didn't  move  .me  in  the 
least. 

44  We  are  alone,"  I  said,  44  but  I  am  not  to  be  crushed  as  easily 
as  you  think.  You  must  go  with  me,  or  I  shall  be  compelled  to 
crush  you." 

The  eyes  of  the  slave  flashed  fire,  and  he  advanced  two  or  three 
paces  towards  me,  his  knife  in  hand. 

44  Stand  where   you  are,"   I  said,   quite   coolly,  drawing  my 


304  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

revolver  and  cocking  it.  "  If  you  come  a  step  nearer,  you  are  a 
dead  slave.  I  never  miss  my  aim." 

The  man  paused,  and  glared  at  me  irresolutely,  but  the  re- 
volver pointed  directly  at  his  heart  made  him  think  of  what  his 
fate  would  be.  He  came  no  nearer  towards  me,  but  wanted 
to  very  much.  I  could  see  this  by  his  eyes  and  his  swelling 
muscles. 

"  I  want  to  talk  plainly  with  you,"  I  said,  "  and  you  must  listen 
patiently.  I  did  not  come  here  with  the  Don  and  his  party  to 
hurt  you,  but  to  serve  you,  and  I  will  if  you  behave  like  a  decent 
slave,  as  I  think  you  are.  You  can't  escape,  and  if  you  stay 
here  you  will  starve,  for  you  don't  even  know  how  to  catch  fish. 
You  are  hungry  now  —  are  you  not  ?  " 

"  Very  hungry,  senor,"  was  the  answer. 

"  I  thought  so.  Make  the  fire,  and  we  will  broil  the  fish  on 
some  stones.  We  have  no  salt,  but  we  can  eat  one  meal  without." 

"  I  have  salt,  senor,"  cried  the  slave  ;  and  the  knife  was  put  up. 

"  That  is  gO£d.  We  will  have  a  feast,  and  while  the  fire  is 
burning  I  will  tell  you  what  you  must  do." 

"  I  listen,  senor,"  the  negro  answered,  upon  his  knees  before  a 
pile  of  dry  wood,  which  he  speedily  fanned  to  flames. 

"  You  must  go  back  with  me  to  the  plantation,"  I  said.  "  I  will 
insure  that  you  be  treated  well,  and  that  this  fault  is  overlooked. 
You  shan't  be  whipped.  If  the  overseers  do  so,  I  will  buy  you, 
and  take  you  with  me  to  America.  But  you  shall  promise  not  to 
run  away  again." 

"  Will  the  senor  take  the  word  of  a  slave?  "  asked  the  negro. 

"Yes." 

"  Then,  senor,  I  will  do  as  you  want  me  to,  and  the  Don  shall 
find  no  reason  to  complain  of  me." 

I  looked  at  the  man's  eyes,  and  thought  I  could  trust  him  ;  but 
I  was  determined  to  give  him  no  undue  advantage,  and  take  me 
by  surprise. 

"  Give  me  your  knife,"  I  said. 

He  did  not  hesitate,  but  advanced  and  handed  it  to  me,  with  the 
hilt  near  my  hand. 

"  You  can  keep  it,"  I  said.  "  I  am  satisfied  you  are  honest, 
and  a  man  of  your  word." 

The  negro  looked  gratified,  and  resumed  his  preparations  for 
building  a  fire  with  double  zeal. 


THREATS.  305 

jjjt 

"  How  shall  I  cook  the  fish,  senor  ?  "  he  asked. 

I  was  now  lying  under  the  trees  upon  the  grass,  smoking  quite 
contented,  and  hungry. 

"  Take  that  large  flat  stone,"  I  said,  pointing  to  one  that  was 
ahout  the  size  of  a  barrel  head,  although  square,  and  somewhat 
thicker,  "  and  put  it  upon  the  fire,  and  while  it  is  heating  da  you 
dress  the  fish." 

"  Yes,  senor,"  he  said,  as  obediently  as  if  I  had  owned  him  for 
years,  and  had  treated  him  like  a  friend. 

He  did  what  I  directed,  and  by  the  time  the  fish  were  split,  the 
stone  was  hot  enough  for  our  purpose. 

"  What  next,  senor?"  he  asked. 

"  Put  the  fish  upon  the  stone,  and  sprinkle  salt  upon  them." 

He  did  so,  and  I  soon  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  the  fish 
cook  beautifully  with  their  own  fat.  Then  I  waited  patiently 
for  my  companions  to  join  me,  for  I  knew  they  would  see  the 
smoke  from  the  fire  and  hasten  towards  it,  and  I  was  coivect  in 
my  supposition,  for  just  as  the  fish  were  cooked  to  a  turn,  Don 
Ingracia,  Irenta,  and  the  other  overseer  burst  in  upon  us. 

44  Just  in  time,  senors,"  I  said,  u  for  a  fish  dinner.  Sit  down. 
There  is  enough  for  all." 

44  What  does  this  mean?"  cried  the  Don.  "  We  thought  you 
were  killed,  and  that  the  slave  was  cooking  your  body  for  a  grand 
feast." 

44  O,  bless  you,  no,"  I  replied.  "  We  have  been  having  a  little 
chat  and  a  little  fishing,  and  Jose  is  all  ready  to  return  home,  and 
not  run  away  in  future." 

44  Cuss  him,  I'll  give  him  something  when  he  does  get  back  to 
the  plantation  that  will  make  him  remember  this  day  for  a  long 
time.  Irenta,  put  the  irons  on  him." 

The  slave  threw  himself  upon  his  knees,  and  commenced  beg- 
ging for  mercy. 

44  Get  up,  Jose,"  I  said,  4<  and  collect  some  leaves  for  the  fish. 
No  one  is  going  to  harm  you." 

The  Don  looked  astonished,  first  at  me  and  then  at  Jose. 

44 1  have  made  a  bargain  with  Jose,"  I  said,  4t  and  have  pledged 
my  word  that  it  shall  be  kept.  He  is  sorry  for  escaping  from 
so  good  a  master,  and  will  go  back  and  do  his  duty,  and  I  have 
pledged  my  word  he  shall  not  be  harmed." 

44  You  have?" 

20 


306 

» 

"  T[  have,  and  what  is  more,  have  said  that  if  you  still  persisted 
in  whipping  him,  I  would  purchase  him  at  your  own  price." 

"  Do  you  want  him?"  asked  the  Don,  carelessly. 

"  Well,  yes,  I  should  like  the  fellow,  for  he  has  got  some  pluck, 
and  is  good-natured,"  I  replied,  with  no  idea  of  the  Don's  inten- 
tions. 

"  Ah,  well,  you  may  have  him,  and  if  he  runs  away  I  hope  you 
will  flog  him  well.  Is  the  fish  done  ?  for  I'm  hungry." 

I  was  astonished,  but  Jose  was  much  more  so.  He  dropped 
on  his  knees,  seized  one  of  my  hands  and  kissed  it  most  affection- 
ately ;  and  from  that  time  Jose  served  me  as  a  faithful  servant, 
and  continued  to  do  so  until  his  death,  which  took  place  some  time 
afterwards,  under  singular  circumstances.  But  he  showed  his 
devotion  to  me  even  to  the  last. 

"  Get  up  !  "  roared  the  Don  to  Jose,  who  was  shedding  tears 
over  my  hand, "  and  serve  the  fish  ;  for  don't  you  hear  me  tell  you 
I  am  almost  starved  ?  " 

"  I  belong  to  the  senor  Robert,  senor,"  answered  Jose,  with 
dignity.  "  He  commands  me,  and  I  obey." 

"  Well,  of  all  the  impudent  slaves  that  I  ever  did  see,  you  are 
the  worst,  and  if  I  owned  you  should  give  you  a  dozen  just  to 
make  you  respect  me." 

"  Serve  the  Don  with  the  fish,"  I  said ;  and  Jose  sprang  to  obey 
my  orders  without  the  slightest  hesitancy. 

The  fish  was  cooked  to  a  turn,  and  because  we  were  hungry  it 
tasted  better  perhaps  than  it  otherwise  would.  Two  of  the  fish 
had  all  the  delicate  flavor  of  brook  trout,  and  the  flesh  resem- 
bled it  much,  while  the  fish  which  appeared  like  one  of  the  perch 
family  actually  tasted  like  our  fresh-water  salmon-trout. 

The  Don  was  delighted.  He  forgot  all  about  his  past  misery, 
the  snake,  and  the  difficulty  of  hunting  negroes.  He  enjoyed  him- 
self immensely.  He  praised  the  fish  and  the  cookery,  and  con- 
tinued to  eat  until  he  could  eat  no  more,  and  was  content  to  con- 
fess that  he  had  not  enjoyed  a  dinner  so  much  for  years.  Between 
us  all  the  fish  was  consumed,  and  it  must  be  confessed  that  Jose 
did  not  spare  it,  for  he  was  terribly  hungry. 

Yet  with  all  the  Don's  love  for  piscatorial  food,  he  had  never 
heard  that  there  were  fish  in  the  lake,  and  even  Irenta,  who  had 
been  on  the  spot  some  dozen  times,  never  supposed  that  the  finny 
tribe  in  the  lake  was  worth  hooking.  One  thing  he  did  not  un- 


A    HINT   TO   THE   DON.  307 

derstand  —  the  art  of  fishing  with  flies  and  worms  ;  if  he  had,  it  is 
doubtful  if  he  would  have  tried  it. 

"  Senor  Robert,"  said  the  Don,  "  we  must  come  here  some  day, 
and  have  a  quiet  fish.  My  people  can  bring  everything  we  need, 
during  the  time  we  are  absent,  and  what  is  to  prevent  us  from 
enjoying  ourselves  ?  " 

44  Nothing,  senor  ;  but  as  you  seem  to  love  fish,  I  wonder  why 
you  don't  have  them  upon  your  table  quite  often."  ^  * 

"  The  distance  from  salt  water  is  one  reason,"  he  said. 

"  But  at  a  slight  expense  you  can  have  a  fish  pond,  and  take 
them  whenever  you  wish  to  cast  a  line." 

u  How?  "  he  asked,  with  much  interest. 

44  By  making  a  pond  in  the  field  where  the  cattle  are.  There  is 
running  water  and  a  small  meadow  between  two  hills,  which  can 
be  excavated  at  slight  expense,  and  filled  in  with  gravel  and 
small  stones." 

44  But  the  fish  ?  "  asked  the  Don. 

44  Why,  what  is  to  prevent  you  from  catching  four  or  five  dozen 
from  this  lake,  and  carrying  them  in  water  upon  the  backs  of  slaves 
to  the  fish  pond  ?  In  a  few  years  they  will  increase  to  such  an 
extent  that  you  can  make  presents  to  your  friends  on  feast  days." 

The  Don  was  delighted.  He  instantly  gave  Irenta  instructions 
to  have  a  dozen  wooden  boxes  made,  in  which  to  transport  the 
fish  as  soon  as  the  pond  was  built,  and  I  agreed  to  catch  all  that 
was  wanted,  as  soon  as  the  Don  was  ready  to  receive  and  care 
for  them.  The  prospect  put  the  Don  in  excellent  hnmor,  and 
when  we  started  on  our  return  to  the  plantation,  he  wanted  .me 
close  to  his  elbow  for  the  purpose  of  listening  to  his  plans. 

We  found  our  horses  safe,  but  the  trouble  was  to  take  Jose 
with  us,  having  but  four  animals.  I  compromised  the  matter 
by  telling  the  slave  he  could  walk  to  the  house,  and  take  his 
own  time  about  it  —  a  proposition  the  Don  laughed  at  most  out- 
rageously. 

44  We  have  taken  all  this  trouble  to  find  the  fellow,"  the  Span- 
iard said,  "and  do  you  think  he  will  come  back  voluntarily? 
Ten  ounces  to  five  that  he  does  not  make  his  appearance  at  the 
house." 

44 1  accept  the  bet,"  I  remarked.  44  If  he  is  not  at  the  house  by 
breakfast  time  to-morrow  morning,  I  lose.  You  hear  the  wager, 
Jose?" 


308  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

"  Yes,  senor." 

"  And  I  leave  it  to  you  to  enable  me  to  win  it." 

"  You  shall,  senor,  or  I'll  lose  my  life  in  the  attempt." 

"  You  will  win,"  whispered  Irenta.  "  I  know  something  of 
the  negro  character,  and  that  fellow  means  honest." 

There  were  as  many  as  a  dozen  ladies  and  gentlemen  waiting  to 
greet  us  on  our  return,  or,  I  should  say,  strictly  speaking,  to  wel- 
com*  the  Don  ;  for  as  he  was  a  moneyed  man,  and  had  many  rela- 
tives, of  course  they  worshipped  him  —  homage  which  the  old 
gentleman  received  like  one  accustomed  to  adulation,  and  was 
gratified  at  it.  All  flocked  towards  him  and  assisted  him  to  dis- 
mount —  at  least  the  gentlemen  did ;  while  the  ladies,  many  of 
them  rather  faded  and  yellow,  but  with  gorgeous  gems  upon  their 
fingers,  on  their  hard-looking  bosoms,  and  pendent  from  their 
ears,  sat  upon  the  settees  and  waved  their  fans,  and  scolded  their 
dear  relative  because  he  had  ventured  upon  a  slave-hunting  expe- 
dition. 

For  a  moment  I  stood  unnoticed,  and  I  think  I  was  glad  such 
was  the  case,  for  I  caught  sight  of  a  dashing  looking  fellow, 
in  the  undress  uniform  of  a  captain  of  the  Spanish  army ;  and 
his  good  looks,  clean  linen,  and  spotless  dress  reminded  me 
I  was  not  in  the  exact  kind  of  toilet  to  make  a  very  deep  im- 
pression upon  the  select  company  assembled.  Even  Gracia  was 
listening  to  some  words  which  the  captain  was  addressing  her, 
and  I  felt  a  pang  of  jealousy,  the  first  one  I  had  experienced 
since  I  had  been  acquainted  with  the  lady  ;  for  during  that  time 
I  considered  myself  so  immensely  superior  to  every  one  she  met, 
that  the  idea  of  jealousy  had  not  entered  my  mind.  I  could  not 
but  confess  that  the  captain  was  what  the  ladies  would  call  hand- 
some, and  it  was  my  private  opinion  that  the  gentleman  knew  it 
without  being  told. 

I  saw  that  attention  was  centred  upon  the  Don,  and  if  he  had 
been  rolled  in  a  ditch  it  would  have  been  all  the  same,  as  long 
as  his  purse  was  deep  ;  so  I  threw  the  reins  of  my  horse  to  Irenta, 
and  walked  off  towards  the  back  of  the  house,  and  entered  by  a 
side  door.  Then  I  dressed,  and  felt  better. 

When  I  entered  the  parlor  every' one  was  talking;  but  there 
was  a  sudden  lull  in  the  storm  of  conversation  as  we  approached, 
and  antiquated  dames  surveyed  me  through  eye-glasses,  and  mut- 
tered to  each  other  the  results  at  which  they  arrived  regarding 


^P  A   FORMAL   INTRODUCTION.  309 

my  appearance.  I  was  so  much  amused  that  my  impudence  did 
not  desert  me,  and  I  bore  the  survey  with  the  composure  of  a 
man  of  the  world. 

"  This  is  my  friend  the  captain,  who  saved  my  daughter,"  said 
the  Don,  by  way  of  a  general  introduction. 

The  ladies  bowed  and  fluttered  their  fans,  and  I  also  bent  my 
head  slightly,  and  waited  for  the  next  task. 

"  I  am  pleased  to  see  the  s^nor,"  said  a  voice  at  my  elbow,  and 
turning,  I  found  that  it  was  the  handsome  captain  who  had  spoken. 
"  A  gentleman  who  has  had  the  happiness  to  save  the  life  of  the 
Lady  Gracia  need  not  wait  for  an  introduction  to  those  present. 
We  open  our  arms  to  him,  and  welcome  him  as  a  friend,  and  one 
who  has  already  found  a  place  in  our  hearts." 

He  extended  his  hand,  and  I  took  it  very  readily,  and  as  I  did 
so  saw  that  Gracia  was  regarding  me  most  attentively  from  the 
other  side  of  the  apartment. 

"  The  ladies,  captain,  have  been  awaiting  your  appearance 
most  impatiently,  said  the  soldier,  with  a  bland  smile.  "  They 
have  heard  from  the  Lady  Gracia  the  wonderful  manner  in  which 
she  escaped  from  the  Virgin,  and  the  kindness  with  which  you 
treated  her  after  leaving  the  burning  vessel.  On  my  part  I  thank 
you  for  it." 

"  As  a  relative?  "  I  asked. 

"O,  no,"  he  replied,  a  little  confused  ;  "  as  a  Spaniard  and  a 
soldier." 

Just  at  that  moment  the  door  was  thrown  open  and  dinner  was 
announced.  I  was  glad  to  change  the  conversation. 

"  Senor  Captain  Martenello,"  cried  the  Don,  "  will  you  give 
your  arm  to  my  daughter.  Senor  Robert,  will  you  wait  upon  the 
Lady  Cashbash  ?  Perhaps  you  can  answer  some  questions  which 
she  may  put  to  you  during  dinner." 

Just  at  that  moment  my  friend  Francisco,  whom  I  had  not  seen 
since  the  night  before,  stole  quietly  into  the  room,  looking  a  little 
timid,  as  though  he  feared  for  his  reception.  I  grasped  his  hand 
warmly,  and  was  glad  to  see  him,  and  cared  nothing  for  the 
frown  which  I  saw  mount  upon  the  Don's  brow.  I  had  no  doubt 
he  wished  him  to  the  devil,  but  I  did  not.  As  a  humiliation, 
Francisco  was  not  assigned  to  any  lady  ;  and  although  it  was  in- 
tended as  a  slight,  Francisco  was  immensely  delighted  ;  and  when 
we  arrived  at  the  table,  no  place  was  pointed  out  for  my  friend, 


312  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

I 

"In  the  name  of  the  saints  put  me  down  for  ten  ounces," 
laughed  the  gay  captain. 

"  I  take  it,"  I  said. 

"  And  I  the  same  amount,"  was  cried  by  half  a  dozen  others, 
all  of  whose  names  I  entered  upon  my  tablets. 

"  Senor,  I  would  bet  with  you,"  said  the  priest,  "  but  you 
Americans  are  too  sharp  to  lose  your  money.  I  should  be  happy 
to  take  half  your  wagers  off  your  hands,  if  you  are  disposed." 

"  I  won't  do  that,"  I  answered  ;  "  but  if  I  win,  I  will  present 
the  church  with  ten  ounces  for  the  purpose  of  buying  a  candle- 
stick." 

"  The  church  will  be  much  obliged,  and  I  accept  of  the  offering. 
You  shall  have  my  prayers  for  your  success." 

"  But  will  that  be  right?  "  asked  one  of  the  ladies.  *'  If  you 
side  against  your  own  countrymen,  what  becomes  of  the  church  ?  " 

"  The  church,  senorita,  in  this  instance,  will  be  governed  by 
success,  which  is  sure -to  reward  my  new  friend.  If  any  one 
here  is  disposed  t*  promise  me  two  candlesticks,  I  may  turn. 
There  is  time." 

All  laughed  at  the  worldly  doctrine  of  the  priest,  and  then 
turned  their  attention  to  the  things  upon  the  table,  as  though  ap- 
petites were  sharpened  by  the  long  delayed  dinner.  Old  Lady 
Cashbash,  although  destitute  of  many  teeth,  did  not  fail  to  per- 
form her  part  in  the  eating  line,  and  kept  me  active  in  attending 
upon  her  wants ;  and  while  she  was  eating  she  did  not  neglect 
the  drinking  part  of  her  duty,  for  she  took  hock,  champagne, 
or  any  other  wine  that  happened  in  her  way. 

"  I  got  a  letter  from  Havana  this  afternoon,"  Francisco  said, 
after  I  had  helped  my  lady  friend  to  everything,  and  piled  the 
dishes  up  about  her  like  a  Parisian  street  barricade. 

"What  news?"  I  asked. 

"  The  firm  want  me  to  come  to  town  immediately,  and  intimate 
that  they  should  like  to  see  ypu  for  the  purpose  of  having  a  settle- 
ment." 

"  When  do  you  leave  for  the  city  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  To-morrow.  I  am  tired  of  being  treated  as  though  I  was  an 
intruder ;  yet  I  think  I  have  annoyed  the  Don  a  little,  and  that 
is  some  satisfaction.  Every  one  at  the  table  imagines  that  I  am 
not  good  enough  to  be  here,  and  yet  I  suppose  I  know  as  much 
as  any  of  them." 


GRACI A   TROUBLED.  313 

"  You  know  that  I  value  your  society  more  highly  than  any 
person's  present,  with  the  exception  of  Gracia,"  I  said. 

"  Yes,  I  know  that,  and  it  was  not  you  I  alluded  to.  Now, 
there's  that  military  dandy,  who  never  saw  a  fight  in  his  life,  and 
never  smelt  powder  except  in  firing  a  salute,  thinks  he  is  better 
than  a  clerk  who  earns  his  money  honestly,  and  pays  his  debts 
punctually.  Bah  !  he  be  hanged." 

I  laughed  at  the  energetic  expressions,  and  condoled  with  my 
friend. 

"  Keep  cool,  and  don't  lose  your  patience,  and  to-morrow  I  will 
go  to  Havana  with  you,"  I  said. 

"You  will?" 

"  Yes." 

"  Then  I  wouldn't  quarrel  with  even  the  military  dandy,"  Fran- 
cisco cried ;  and  to  the  surprise  of  every  one,  he  began  to  grow 
communicative,  and  attempted  to  make  himself  agreeable  ;  but  it 
was  a  failure,  not  being  met  by  the  other  side  ;  for  they  all  took 
the  hint  from  the  Don,  and  slighted  whom  he  slighted,  and  fawned 
upon  those  whom  he  patronized,  as  society  always  has  done,  and 
probably  always  will  do  until  money  is  worthless,  or  until  society 
changes. 

But  at  length  the  dinner  was  concluded,  and  we  arose  to  go  to 
the  drawing-room  for  coffee.  For  one  moment  Captain  Marte- 
nello  turned  to  speak  to  the  Don,  and  left  Gracia  disengaged. 
That  moment  I  improved,  and  drew  her  arm  through  mine. 

"  Your  companion  was  attentive,"  I  said  ;  u  you  hardly  raised 
your  eyes  to  me  at  dinner." 

"  For  the  love  of  the  saints,"  she  cried,  earnestly,  "  don't  make 
me  more  unhappy  by  being  jealous ;  I  have  enough  to  contend 
with  without  your  displeasure." 

"  I  am  not  jealous,  Gracia  ;  I  did  but  joke.  But,  tell  me,  what 
is  the  matter?" 

"  Not  now,"  she  answered,  hurriedly.     To-night." 

"  Senor,  shall  I  relieve  you  of  your  burden  ?  "  asked  the  cap- 
tain, extending  his  arms  as  though  certain  I  would  relinquish  the 
lady  to  him. 

"  The  burden  is  so  light  I  will  keep  it  for  the  present,"  I  said, 
and  passed  on  with  Gracia  on  my  arm. 

I  looked  back,  and  saw  an  expression  upon  the  captain's  face 
like  a  fiend's,  it  was  so  dark  and  threatening.  But  I  passed 


314  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

on  with  a  smile,  and  whispered  to  Gracia,  who,  poor  girl,  did  not 
seem  to  feel  quite  at  her  ease,  for  some  reason  I  could  not  account 
for. 

Coffee  was  handed  to  the  guests  in  the  drawing-room,  and  an- 
imated conversation  ensued. 

"  It's  a  shame,"  said  the  priest,  warmly,  "  for  the  price  of  slaves 
to  be  so  high,  when  Africa  is  so  well  stocked  with  blacks  whose 
souls  will  never  be  saved  unless  they  are  transported  to  this  country. 
If  I  had  the  money  I  would  fit  out  a  vessel,  and  bring  a  few  car- 
goes to  Cuba  just  as  a  religious  experiment." 

"  What  is  to  prevent  us  from  stocking  our  plantations  in  that 
manner?"  asked  Don  Enrique,  the  Spaniard  who  was  engaged 
in  the  breeding  of  bloodhounds  for  the  purpose  of  hunting  fugitives. 

"  Nothing  is  to  prevent  us  but  finding  a  suitable  person  to  take 
charge  of  a  vessel,"  a  planter  replied. 

"  Then  here  is  the  one  we  want,"  said  the  Don,  laying  his 
hand  upon  my  shoulder.  "  He  has  made  two  successful  voyages, 
and  knows  the  secrets  of  the  trade.  We  can  engage  him." 

"  Then  we  will  consider  it  settled,"  one  planter  remarked. 

"  Not  as  far  as  I  am  concerned,"  I  said.  "  I  have  about  de- 
cided to  leave  the  trade,  and  I  think  that  I  shall." 

"What,  leave  a  business  so  much  money  can  be  made  in?" 
asked  all,  in  a  breath.  "  A  young  man,  too.  You  must  be  mad." 

"  No,  I  am  perfectly  sane,"  I  said.  "  I  have  seen  so  much 
suffering  onboard  of  a  slaver  I  have  resolved  to  quit  the  business." 

I  looked  towards  Gracia  for  her  approval,  and  she  did  approve 
the  course  which  I  had  taken  by  a  smile  of  angelic  sweetness. 

"  O,"  said  the  Don,  surly  and  with  a  frown,  kt  if  the  senor  does 
not  choose  to  go,  there  are  others  who  would  be  delighted  to 
get  the  chance.  We  don't  want  men  to  work  contrary  to  their 
wishes." 

"  Ho,  ho,"  muttered  Francisco,  "  you  are  treading  on  the  old 
gentleman's  corns  now,  and  he  shows  his  temper.  As  long  as 
you  were  with  him  all  was  well." 

I  thought  the  Don  was  ungenerous,  and  I  felt  angry  at  his  want 
of  gratitude. 

I  talked  with  the  senorita,  and  listened  willingly  to  Father 
Domitre's  stories  until  it  was  time  to  retire,  when  the  company 
separated  and  repaired  to  their  rooms. 

"  I  would  like  one  word  with  you  before  you   sleep,"  said  the 


THE   DON   TALKS.  315 

Don,  after  a  moment's  hesitation  ;  and  he  stood  near  the  door  of 
my  room,  light  in  hand. 

"  Certainly,  walk  in  ;  "  and  the  old  gentleman  accepted  my  in- 
vitation. 

"  Now,"  I  said,  taking  a  seat  and  lighting  a  cigar,  "  I  am  will- 
ing to  hear  all  you  can  communicate  to  me." 

"  I  am  sorry  you  refused  the  offer  we  made  you,"  he  said,  at 
length.  "  I  certainly  expected  you  would  accept." 

"  So  I  would  if  I  was  poor." 

"  Father  Domitre  thinks  that  you  have  some  inducement  for  re- 
maining on  shore,"  the  old  man  said,  in  an  insinuating  tone. 

"  Does  he  really  think  so?"  I  asked,  and  laughed  carelessly  as 
though  such  was  not  the  case. 

"  Yes  ;  I  told  him  it  must  be  a  mistake.  Sailors  seldom  care 
about  attachments." 

"  Why  should  they  ?  "  I  asked  ;  and  wanted  to  kick  the  old 
man  for  his  impudence. 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  you  talk  thus,"  the  Don  said,  hastily, 
"  because  I  feared  you  had  formed  some  attachment  for  my 
daughter,  and  you  know  — " 

He  hesitated,  and  seemed  at  loss  for  a  word.  I  looked  at  him 
steadily,  but  said  nothing. 

"  You  know  she  is  an  only  child,  and  has  large  expectations," 
the  Don  managed  to  get  out. 

"  I  presume  so,"  I  answered. 

u  Yes,  she  will  inherit  all  of  my  wealth,  and  in  such  case  you 
know  I  must  make  an  advantageous  match  for  her." 

u  I  will  ask  one  question,"  I  said.  "  If  I  consented  to  take 
charge  of  a  slaver,  would  it  help  my  cause  as  an  applicant  for 
your  daughter's  hand?" 

u  Certainly  not,  senor,"  was  the  prompt  answer.  "  It  would 
never  do  for  my  family  to  ally  itself  to  a  slaver.  Not  but  I  have 
the  highest  respect  for  you  and  the  trade,  but  you  can  see  how  I 
am  surrounded  by  lawrs  which  I  cannot  violate  without  losing 
caste." 

"  I  see,  I  see,"  I  muttered,  with  a  calm  face,  but  with  internal 
rage  which  I  could  hardly  subdue. 

"  And  now  to  come  to  the  point,"  the  Don  said,  laying  his  hand 
upon  my  arm  as  though  to  command  my  utmost  attention.  "  Cap- 
tain Martenello,  a  gentleman  who  has  good  birth,  powerful  family, 


316  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

and  large  fortune  to  recommend  him,  has  this  evening  proposed 
for  the  hand  of  Gracia,  and  I  have  accepted  him." 

"And  what  says  the  lady?"  I  asked,  hastily. 

u  We  trust,  with  your  assistance,  that  "the  lady  will  accept," 
the  Don  said,  with  a  complacent  smile. 

"  How?     My  assistance?" 

"  Yes,  yours.  You  know  that  you  have  some  influence  with 
her,  on  account  of  the  service  which  you  rendered.  She  will 
listen  to  what  you  have  to  say.  Persuade  her  to  marry  the  cap- 
tain, and  the  day  she  is  married  I  will  give  you  one  thousand 
dollars." 

I  sprang  from  my  chair  with  the  intention  of  committing  an 
assault,  but  I  suddenly  recollected  where  I  was  and  what  I  was 
contending  for ;  so  instead  of  throwing  the  Don  out  of  the  win- 
dow, and  breaking  his  bones,  I  clapped  him  upon  the  shoulder 
and  shook  hands  with  him  fiercely. 

"  There,  that  will  do,"  he  said,  with  a  look  of  pain  as  he  with- 
drew his  hand  from  mine  and  rubbed  it.  "  You  Americans  have 
so  much  strength  it  is  wonderful.  No  wonder  you  fight  well. 
You  accept  —  do  you  ?  "  the  Don  asked,  after  a  pause. 

"  Why  should  I  not  ?  " 

"  I  will  tell  you  why  I  thought  I  should  have  some  difficulty 
in  persuading  you.  After  dinner  Captain  Martenello  spoke  to  me 
for  a  few  minutes,  and  made  his  offer.  I  accepted,  of  course. 
Then  he  told  me  he  thought  you  had  set  your  eyes  upon  Gracia, 
and  that  she  had  some  friendly  feeling  for  you." 

"  How  much  he  must  have  been  mistaken,"  I  said. 

"  So  I  told  him,  but  I  could  not  laugh  him  out  of  the  idea.  I 
told  him  you  would  be  much  more  likely  to  marry  one  of  your 
own  countrywomen." 

I  nodded. 

"  At  length  the  captain  told  me  he  would  give  a  thousand 
dollars  if  you  would  advocate  his  suit  with  my  daughter,  as  he 
thinks  you  must  have  some  influence  with  her,  having  saved  her 
life,  which,  of  course,  you  was  bound  to  do  for  humanity's  sake." 

"  He  made  the  offer  —  did  he?"  I  asked,  resolved  to  be  even 
with  him  some  time  for  the  insult. 

"  He  did,  and  the  money  is  yours  as  soon  as  the  wedding  takes 
place." 

I  saw  a  picture  move,  as  though  some  one  near  it  was  surprised 
and  indignant. 


GRACIA'S  DISTRESS.  317 

"  Let  us  understand  each  other,"  I  said,  quietly.  "  To-mor- 
row I  must  go  to  the  city  to  settle  some  business.  In  a  few 
days  I  will  return  and  do  all  I  can  to  make  your  daughter  happy. 
Tell  the  captain  so,  and  that  he  must  have  no  suspicions  of  me, 
even  if  I  am  seen  conversing  with  the  lady  quite  often.  You  un- 
derstand me  ?  " 

"  To  be  sure  I  do  ; "  and  the  Don  arose,  and  with  a  good  night 
left  me. 

The  next  moment  Gracia  appeared  from  behind  a  huge  picture, 
set  in  the  wall,  tears  flowing  from  her  eyes,  and  her  countenance 
agitated. 

"  You  have  heard  all,  Gracia?"  I  asked. 

"  All,"  she  answered.     "  O,  Robert,  what  shall  we  do?" 

"  I  will  tell  you  presently  ;  but  first  answer  me  a  question.  Do 
you  like  Captain  Martenello  ?  " 

"  O,  no  ;  I  detest  him.  I  love  but  you,  and  yet  the  saints  par- 
don you,  J  heard  you  consent  to  receive  a  thousand  dollars  for 
advocating  the  captain's  cause." 

"  And  did  you  think  I  was  in  earnest,  my  darling?"  I  asked, 
placing  my  arm  around  her  waist. 

"  I  do  not  know  what  to  think.  I'm  fearful  you  have  tired 
of  me,  and  yet  if  you  knew  all  you  would  not  be  so ; "  and  as 
she  spoke  she  hid  her  face  on  my  breast,  and  laughed  and  cried 
alternately. 

I  did  not  ask  for  her  secret,  for  I  suspected  it ;  but  it  only  made 
her  dearer  to  me,  so  in  a  few  minutes  I  had  soothed  her,  and  she 
was  able  to  listen  to  me  with  composure. 

"  I  agreed  to  the  proposal  advanced  by  your  father,"  I  said, 
"  for  the  purpose  of  being  near  you,  and  thus  making  some  plans 
for  the  future.  I  suspected  his  pride  would  be  too  strong  to  give 
me  the  prize  I  coveted,  for,  you  know,  his  gratitude  is  slight.  I 
must  win  you  by  another  method." 

"  But  how?  "  Gracia  asked,  her  large  black  eyes  beaming  with 
interest. 

"  Are  you  content  to  go  with  me  at  all  times,  and  to  all  places  ?  " 
I  asked. 

She  put  her  arms  about  my  neck,  and  kissed  me  most  affec- 
tionately. 

"  Leave  friends  and  fortune?  "  I  continued. 


318  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

"  I  shall  find  all  in  you ;  "  and  her  head  was  laid  upon  my 
shoulder  in  woman's  true  confidence. 

"  Then  in  a  few  days  you  shall  be  mine,  unless  my  plans  fail 
me.  In  the  mean  time  manifest  no  love  for  me." 

"  No,  I  won't ;  "  and  she  withdrew  her  arms  from  my  neck 
with  a  coquettish  smile. 

"  In  public,"  I  cried,  and  replaced  her  arms. 

"  O,  in  public  —  I  understand.  I  thought  you  meant  at  all 
times;"  and  the  little  witch  laughed,  but  I  stopped  it  with  a 


"  Pretend  to  the  captain  that  you  do  not  absolutely  hate  him, 
and  leave  the  rest  to  me.  To-morrow  I  shall  go  to  Havana." 

"  And  leave  me?  "  she  asked,  with  a  look  of  alarm. 

"  Only  for  a  day  or  two,  and  then  I  shall  return,  and  hope  never 
to  be  parted  again." 

"  But  I  shall  be  lonely,"  Gracia  murmured. 

"  And  so  shall  I,  but  there  is  no  help  for  it." 

Until  an  early  hour  in  the  morning  we  discussed  our  plans,  and 
to  all  of  them  Gracia  agreed,  and  promised  to  be  governed  by  me. 
When  we  parted  it  was  with  a  tender  embrace,  and  a  hope  for 
better  times. 

While  we  were  at  breakfast  in  the  morning,  I  could  see  by  the 
bearing  of  Captain  Martenello  towards  me,  that  he  and  the  Don 
had  conversed  together,  and  settled  matters  to  their  satisfaction, 
and  that  I  was  looked  upon  as  rather  a  harmless,  good-natured 
sort  of  fellow,  and  one  who  should  be  encouraged.  I  did  not 
attempt  to  undeceive  them,  for  it  was  just  the  opinion  I  desired 
they  should  form  of  me  for  the  successful  issue  of  my  plans. 

While  we  were  eating,  and  the  Don  was  pompously  displaying 
his  wealth  and  patronage,  the  major-domo  entered  with  a  grin  upon 
his  black  face. 

"  Senor,  the  slave  Jose  who  ran  away  has  come  back,  and 
wants  to  see  the  senor  Robert." 

All  were  astonished,  and  were  inclined  to  disbelieve  it. 

"  I  hope  the  gentlemen  will  all  be  ready  to  pay  their  bets,"  I 
said.  "  I  leave  for  Havana  this  forenoon,  and  may  not  see  you 
again." 

"  Don't  forget  the  church,  my  son,"  whispered  the  priest. 
'*  Remember  you  had  my  prayers  for  the  success  of  your  wagers." 

"  Fear  nothing,  holy  father.     As  soon  as  they  pay  I'll  give 


THE   RETURNED   SLAVE.  319 

the  church  her  dues.  But  you  must  make  all  show  the  color  of 
their  gold." 

"  I'll  excommunicate  them  if  they  don't,"  was  the  reply  ;  and 
just  at  this  moment  in  came  Jose,  looking  tired,  and  almost  des- 
titute of  clothing.  The  Don  had  sent  for  him  to  be  certain  there 
was  no  deception.  % 

u  It's  Jose,  sure  enough,"  muttered  the  Don,  drawing  ten  ounces 
from  his  pocket,  and  sending  them  to  me  on  a  silver  salver."  "  I've 
lost,  senor,  and  there's  the  money." 

"  There's  mine,"  said  the  captain. 

"  And  there's  the  church's,"  I  replied,  handing  the  priest  the 
ten  ounces  I  had  promised  him. 

He  pocketed  them  so  quick  I  hardly  had  a  chance  to  see  where 
he  put  the  money. 

After  breakfast  I  found  Jose,  and  gave  him  a  suit  of  clothes,  and 
then  borrowing  a  volante  and  two  horses  from  the  Don,  all  three 
of  us  embarked  and  started  for  Havana. 

"  Now,"  said  Francisco,  after  we  had  got  fairly  started,  with 
Jose  driving,  proud  of  his  position  and  new  master,  "  what  are 
your  plans  ?  " 

"  To  go  to  Havana." 

"  And  give  up  the  lady?  " 

"  Not  quite." 

"  You  know  the  Don  intends  she  shall  many  the  captain  ?  " 

"  He  told  me  so." 

"Shall  you  submit?" 

"  I  think  not." 

"  Then  I'm  satisfied.  After  all  you  have  done  for  that  man  ; 
after  all  yaur  sacrifices,  to  have  the  old  fool  turn  up  his  nose 
at  you,  is  a  little  too  bad.  Have  her !  "  cried  Francisco,  "  I'll 
be  cussed  if  I  wouldn't  take  the  girl  if  I  had  to  tear  down  the 
house.  She  belongs  to  you  —  don't  she  ?  " 

"  I  hope  that  she  will,"  I  replied. 

"  But  it  won't  do  to  marry  her  in  this  country,"  my  friend 
said,  after  a  pause.  "  You  would  be  assassinated  in  less  than  a 
week  after  the  event.  The  Don  has  money,  and  could  hire  a 
dozen  bravos  to  dog  your  steps.  We  must  think  of  some  other 
plan." 

"  I  have  one,"  I  replied,  "  and  I  hope  that  it  will  work." 

"  Name  it." 


320  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

"  I  intend  to  buy  or  charter  the  Coquette.  Castro  de  Lego 
is  but  ten  miles  from  the  residence  of  the  Don.  I  shall  ship  a 
crew  and  have  everything  ready,  and  what  is  to  prevent  us  from 
being  off  some  morning  quite  early  ?  " 

Francisco  uttered  a  shout  of  delight,  and  hurled  his  hat  at  the 
head  of  the  astonished  JSse,  who  turned  round  and  grinned  at 
such  a  display  of  pleasantry. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

SETTLING  A  VOYAGE. MY  SHARE,  AND  PLANS  FOR  THE  FU- 
TURE.   A  CHARTER.  —  A  COOL  RECEPTION. A  DUENNA. 

A  NAP. AN  ELOPEMENT. 

WE  arrived  at  Havana  about  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon, 
and  drove  straight  to  the  counting-room  of  Messrs.  Riejo  &  Neali. 
The  senior  member  of  the  firm  was  just  about  leaving  the  office 
for  his  country  residence.  He  gave  me  a  warm  greeting,  and  in- 
vited me  into  his  private  room,  while  Francisco  paid  his  respects 
to  his  brother  clerks,  and  gossipped  of  his  doings  during  his  ab- 
sence. 

"  Be  seated,"  said  the  senior  Riejo,  pointing  to  a  chair,  "  and 
then  we  will  talk  for  a  few  minutes  on  business." 

"  I  suppose  you  are  anxious  to  know  how  our  accounts  stand," 
he  said,  passing  me  a  cigar. 

I  bowed,  and  waited  for  him  to  proceed. 

"  I  can  tell  you  in  a  few  words.  We  compromised  with  the 
owners  of  the  Virgin,  and  allowed  them  one  hundred  thousand 
dollars  for  their  share  of  the  treasure  which  was  saved,  and  very 
glad  they  were  to  get  it.  That  left  us  two  hundred  thousand  dol- 
lars. We  decided  to  keep  one  hundred  thousand,  and  divide  the 
balance  between  yourself  and  crew.  The  slaves  sold  well,  and 
those  which  you  captured  we  only  claimed  one  third  of ;  so  that 
I  can  safely  say  that  your  individual  share  of  the  profits  of  the 
voyage  will  amount  to  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dol- 
lars. A  pretty  good  four  months'  trip,  and  the  most  profitable 
one  that  ever  reached  Cuba,  in  our  line,  you  understand." 


A   FORTUNE.  321 

I  was  amazed  and  almost  confounded.  I  had  not  anticipated 
more  than  one  hundred  thousand  dollars  at  the  utmost ;  and  I 
thought  with  joy,  that,  with  the  diamonds  and  precious  stones 
which  I  had  secured  about  my  person,  I  was  in  reality  worth 
half  a  million  dollars,  and  all  earned  in  less  than  two  years' 
time. 

"  Is  the  result  satisfactory  ?"  asked  the  senor  Riejo,  with  a 
smile. 

"  Perfectly,"  I  replied. 

"  Then  to-morrow  you  shall  receive  the  money  in  gold,  and  let 
me  advise  you  to  ship  it  home  in  the  United  States  frigate  Grow- 
ler, which  is  lying  in  the  harbor,  and  will  sail  for  Boston  in  a  few 
days.  I  understood  Francisco  to  write  that  you  had  no  desire  to 
continue  in  the  business  longer." 

u  Such  is  my  intention,"  I  replied. 

"  I  am  sorry  to  lose  you,  but  women  conquer  all ;  and,  as  the 
match  is  so  advantageous*,  I  cannot  advise  you  to  forego  it." 

"  I  don't  understand  you,"  I  said. 

"  Why,  it  is  reported  that  Don  Ingracia  is  about  to  give  you 
the  hand  of  his  daughter  for  saving  her  life.  I  was  surprised  at 
it,  for  the  old  fellow  is  intensely  mean,  and  has  been  looking  for 
an  alliance  with  a  nobleman." 

u  And  still  is  looking  for  one,"  I  replied,  with  some  bitterness. 
"  He  has  even  had  the  impudence  to  ask  my  advice  on  the  sub- 
ject, and  he  did  so  that  I  might  have  no  hopes  of  obtaining  the 
lady's  hand." 

"  And  of  course  you  abandoned  all  hope  at  once  ?  "  the  senor 
asked,  with  a  peculiar  smile. 

u  Of  course,"  I  answered,  and  smiled  in  return. 

"  Ah,  it  is  the  best  plan,  for  the  Don  is  powerful,  and  might 
do  you  a  mischief  if  you  annoyed  him.  He  could  find  plenty  of 
tools  to  work  with,  so  it  is  best  to  be  on  the  safe  side." 

"  But  suppose  he  had  no  opportunity  to  return  me  any  little 
favor  I  might  show  him  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  If  such  is  the  case,  why  go  on,  and  the  saints  prosper  you. 
Only  don't  let  me  know  anything  of  your  purpose,  for  I  must 
make  friends  instead  of  enemies.  My  business  is  one  that  is  car- 
ried on  secretly,  but  people  have  the  power  of  annoying  me." 

Perhaps  my  looks  expressed  the  disappointment  I  felt,  for  the 
senor  said,  — 

21 


322  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

"  You  have  some  favor  to  ask  me?  " 

"  I  want  to  charter  the  Coquette  for  two  months,  and  would 
pay  well  for  the  vessel,"  I  said. 

"  For  Africa?" 

"  Perhaps  I  may  go  there.  At  any  rate  I  will  guarantee  that 
the  schooner  shall  be  returned  to  any  port  you  may  name  within 
three  months  ;  for  that  time  I  will  pay  well." 

"  I  will  think  the  matter  over,"  said  the  senor  Riejo,  "  and  let 
you  know  in  the  morning." 

The  next  morning  he  informed  me  that  I  could  have  the  schoon- 
er for  two  months  without  any  charge. 

u  But  you  must  man  and  provision  her,  and  pledge  your  word 
that  she  shall  be  returned  to  the  port  of  Castro  de  Lego  in  good 
order,"  he  said. 

"  I  will  do  that  willingly,"  I  answered,  with  a  gratified  look. 

We  proceeded  to  settle  my  accounts,  and  then  the  sum  of  one 
hundred  and  fifty-five  thousand  dollars  was  paid  me  in  doubloons. 
This  large  amount,  with  the  exception  of  five  thousand  dollars  for 
necessary  expenses,  Francisco  boxed  up  for  me,  and  before  night 
it  was  snug  on  board  of  the  United  States  ship  Growler.  I  did 
not  tell  the  captain,  whom  I  was  introduced  to  by  the  United 
States  consul,  that  I  had  made  the  money  by  running  cargoes  of 
negroes,  for  I  was  fearful  the  information  might  have  hurt  his 
feelings.  It  did  seem  a  little  curious,  though,  that  a  government 
vessel  should  carry  home  the  gold  which  was  accumulated  in  a 
trade  that  the  ship  was  sent  to  suppress.  In  fact,  I  suppose  the 
captain  did  not  care  how  I  came  by  the  gold,  and  I  presume 
he  wished  it  was  his  own  with  all  his  heart,  for  a  naval  officer 
can  get  through  with  a  large  pile  of  money  while  upon  a  foreign 
station. 

In  one  of  the  boxes  I  would  have  secured  my  belt  of  diamonds, 
but  feared  that  some  blundering  custom-house  official  would  over- 
haul the  treasure  in  the  United  States,  and  confiscate  the  stones 
on  the  ground  of  smuggling. 

As  soon  as  my  money  was  safe  on  board  I  felt  a  little  easier, 
but  still  had  much  business  to  do.  It  was  necessary  I  should 
ship  a  crew  for  the  Coquette  ;  so,  taking  Francisco  with  me,  we 
weflt  to  quarters  where  seamen  frequented,  and  I  had  the  good 
luck  to  find  the  crew  of  a  Boston  bark  which  had  been  con- 


MAKING   PREPARATIONS.  323 

demned  at  Havana,  while  the  captain  had  paid  his  debts  with 
the  foretopsail.  That  is,  he  had  run  off  one  night  and  taken  what 
money  he  could  collect  with  him,  and  left  the  crew  to  whistle  for 
their  pay. 

The  men  were  on  the  consul's  hands,  and  that  official  was  de- 
sirous of  getting  rid  of  them  as  soon  as  possible,  and  I  believe 
most  consuls  are  of  the  same  mind.  I  liked  the  appearance  of 
the  mate  and  second  mate  very  much.  They  belonged  to  Cape 
Cod,  and  had  sailed  together  for  years.  The  first  mate's  name 
was  Prentice,  and  the  second  mate's  name  was  Davis.  They 
gave  a  good  account  of  the  crew,  and  said  they  were  men  who 
could  be  relied  upon  in  storm  or  calm.  They  were  out  of  mon- 
ey, the  yellow  fever  season  was  about  to  commence,  and  they 
were  tired  of  looking  for  a  ship.  They  could  have  entered  on 
board  of  the  Growler,  but  didn't  like  the  service  of  Uncle  Sam. 
As  some  had  families  at  the  Cape,  they  were  most  anxious  to  re- 
turn home. 

I  told  them  what  I  wanted,  and  what  I  wanted  them  for,  al- 
though I  said  nothing  about  the  intended  elopement ;  but  Pren- 
tice and  Davis  were  a  little  suspicious  that  I  expected  to  engage 
in  the  slave  trade,  and  that  they  would  not  do  at  any  rate. 

"  Look  you,"  I  said,  "  I  want  you  to  act  as  mate  and  second 
mate  until  the  schooner  reaches  Boston.  Then  I  shall  leave,  and 
with  six  men  you  must  navigate  her  back  to  Castro  de  Lego,  put 
her  in  good  order,  and  restore  everything  on  board  as  you  find  it. 
I  shall  give  the  mate  one  hundred  dollars  per  month,  the  second 
mate  fifty  dollars,  and  the  men  twenty-five  each.  But  I  must 
have  obedience  and  discipline,  and  I  will  have  it." 

The  mates  looked  at  each  other  a  moment.  Such  wages  they 
could  not  withstand. 

u  We  are  ready  to  go  on  board  in  half  an  hour,"  they  said. 

I  gave  each  half  a  month's  wages,  took  them  before  the  consul, 
and  shipped  them  in  form,  and  glad  enough  the  official  was. 
Then  I  chartered  a  coasting  schooner  and  sent  my  men  on  board, 
stocked  the  vessel  with  a  few  casks  of  bread,  salt  pork,  beef, 
beans,  rice,  flour,  and  such  .things  as  I  should  want  to  feed 
the  ^  crew  on  the  passage  to  the  States,  paid  for  everything, 
and  saw  the  coaster  start  for  Castro  de  Lego  with  my  new 
crew  as  merry  as  crickets ;  each  man  having  spliced  the  main 


324  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

brace  several  times  to  keep  in  good  humor,  and  all  having  enough 
tobacco  to  last  for  a  mouth. 

I  gave  Mr.  Prentice  a  few  directions  what  to  do  when  he  ar- 
rived, and  he  promised  to- set  the  men  at  work  without  delay  in 
filling  water  casks  and  in  lauding  those  which  we  should  not 
want,  so  that  nothing  could  be  found  on  board  to  excite  suspicion 
in  case  we  were  overhauled  by  an  English  ship  of  war,  as  I  did 
not  intend  to  run  from  any  one. 

After  I  had  attended  to  all  this  business  and  paid  my  bills,  I 
received  my  charter  from  the  firm,  which  gave  me  full  possession 
of  the  schooner  for  three  months.  Then  tired  with  my  day's  work, 
I  repaired  to  a  hotel,  where  I  had  told  Jose  to  wait  for  me  with 
the  volante.  I  found  the  faithful  fellow  perfectly  contented  with 
bis  situation,  and  ready  to  start  for  San  Philippe  at  a  moment's 
notice  ;  but  as  it  was  late  I  concluded  to  remain  over  for  the  night 
and  leave  early  in  the  morning,  and  just  as  I  had  come  to  this 
wise  conclusion,  Francisco  found  me  and  said  that  he  had  got 
leave  of  absence  for  a  few  days,  and  would  remain  with  me  until 
I  left  the  island. 

I  was  very  glad  of  this,  for  he  could  prove  of  great  benefit  to 
me  at  .the  port  of  Castro  de  Lego,  being  much  better  acquainted 
than  I  was.  We  agreed  that  I  should  carry  him  to  Don  Ingracia, 
and  from  thence  he  would  ride  horseback  to  the  port,  and  have 
everything  ready  for  me  to  sail  at  a  moment's  warning.  We 
ate  a  late  supper,  and  as  both  of  us  were  tired,  did  not  venture 
upon  the  Plaza  for  fear  we  should  meet  with  some  adventure 
which  would  interfere  with  the  business  before  us.  So  we  sat 
and  smoked,  and  drank  light  wine,  until  nine  o'clock.  We  then 
separated  for  the  night,  with  the  understanding  that  we  should 
start  at  daylight  the  next  morning. 

Jose  was  prompt,  and  bad  the  volante  drawn  up  in  front  of  the 
hotel  just  at  daylight,  and  after  a  substantial  breakfast  of  chickens 
and  eggs  and  tomatoes,  we  were  off  for  San  Philippe.  Nothing 
of  especial  note  occurred  on  the  road,  and  we  reached  the  resi- 
dence of  Don  Ingracia  about  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  in 
time  to  dress  for  dinner. 

Francisco  refused  to  remain  at  the  Don's  house  over  night, 
much  to  the  Don's  gratification,  I  have  no  doubt,  for  he  very 
kindly  consented  that  fresh  horses  should  be  furnished  for  the 
volante,  and  I  let  Jose  drive  my  friend  to  Castro  de  Lego  the 
same  afternoon. 


AT   THE    DON'S   HOUSE.  325 

The  Don  received  me  with  civility,  but  I  can't  say  with  much 
cordiality,,  and  I  thought  I  read  in  his  eyes  that  he  could 
have  cheerfully  sustained  himself  if  my  absence  had  been  pro- 
longed for  an  indefinite  period.  I  pretended  to  take  no  notice  of 
his  manner,  and  soon  commenced  talking  with  him  about  his  fish 
pond  and  as  it  was  something  that  was  to  add  to  his  grandeur 
he  lent  me  a  ready  ear,  and  became  enthusiastic  for  me  to  com- 
mence the  work  immediately.  But  that  I  was  resolved  not  to  do 
on  any  account. 

All  this  time  I  had  not  seen  Gracia,  nor  heard  a  word  of  her. 
I  concluded  I  would  ask  respecting  her  whereabouts,  for  I  was 
anxious. 

"  Donna  Gracia  is  well,  I  trust,"  I  said. 

11  She  is  quite  well,  senor,"  was  the  answer.  "  In  regard  to 
the  pond  —  "  the  Don  continued,  as  though  to  lead  me  from  the 
subject,  but  I  was  not  to  be  led  from  it. 

"  I  presume  she  is  at  home,"  I  hinted. 

"  O,  yes,  certainly,  she  is  at  home.     But  the  pond  should  —  " 

"  I  shall  then  pay  my  respects  to  her  at  dinner,"  I  said. 

"  Of  course,  if  you  choose." 

He  spoke  like  a  man  who  would  rather  I  should  not,  but  I  was 
determined  to,  nevertheless. 

"  Captain  Marteuello  is  still  stopping  here,"  I  said. 

"  O,  yes,  of  course,"  was  the  answer. 

But  the  Don  did  not  say  where  he  was,  or  how  he  was  em- 
ployed. 

I  went  to  my  room,  which  the  Don  was  kind  enough  to  reserve 
for  me,  simply  because  no  one  wanted  it,  laboring  as  it  did  under 
a  bad  reputation.  I  dressed  for  dinner,  and  just  as  I  left  my 
room  Gracia  quitted  hers.  I  sprang  towards  her,  but  was 
stopped  by  the  sudden  appearance  of  an  old  woman,  who  was 
too  cross-looking  to  merit  a  passing  glance.  The  old  thing 
made  sail,  and  bore  down  upon  me  with  a  face  as  grim  as  the 
lower  tier  of  a  line  of  battle  ship's  guns ;  and,  faith,  her  black 
snapping  eyes  glanced  suspiciously  at  me,  as  though  I  waji  about 
to  take  Gracia  in  my  arms,  and  fly  out  of  the  window,  and  leave 
the  plantation  forever.  I  saw  that  I  must  reduce  sail  and  become 
circumspect,  therefore  I  bowed  as  politely  as  a  reefer  to  his  cap- 
tain when  fearing  punishment  for  his  monkey-shines. 

"  Senor  Robert,"  said  Gracia,  looking  as  though  she  was  de 


326  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

sirous  of  throwing  her  arms  around  my  neck,  but  restrained  her- 
self. "  I  am  pleased  to  see  you  back  to  San  Philippe  ;  you  have 
been  gone  two  days." 

The  old  woman  pricked  up  her  ears  at  the  conversation,  and 
advanced.  Gracia  appeared  to  notice  her  for  the  first  time. 

"  Senor  Robert,"  my  little  darling-  said,  "  this  is  Donna  Mar- 
tha, whom  my  father  has  engaged  as  a  duenna,  and  whom  you 
must  be  very  kind  to." 

The  old  woman  bobbed  her  head  like  a  ten-gun  brig  in  a  head 
sea,  and  said,  "  O  !  "  But  that  u  O,"  meant  much.  It  said  as 
plainly  as  possible,  "  I  have  been  engaged  to  watch  you,  and  I 
mean  to  do  my  duty.  So  don't  think  I  shall  sleep  while  you  are 
present." 

"  I  am  extremely  happy  to  make  the  acquaintance  of  so  ex- 
cellent a  lady,"  I  said.  "  I  trust  we  shall  be  good  friends." 

The  old  witch  grunted,  and  didn't  appear  very  sanguine 
about  it. 

We  walked  a  few  steps  along  the  wide  entry,  when  Gracia  sud- 
denly stopped. 

u  O,  Martha,  I  have  left  my  watch  upon  my  dressing  table. 
Go  and  bring  it,  if  you  please." 

The  duenna  turned  to  perform  the  errand,  but  as  soon  as  she 
had  entered  the  room,  two  heads  might  have  been  seen  together, 
attracted  by  laws  which  govern  all  solid  substances,  and  half 
a  dozen  smothered  kisses  were  taken  with  the  rapidity  of  light- 
ning. 

"How  shall  I  get  rid  of  her?"  Gracia  asked,  in  a  whisper. 
u  She  sleeps  in  my  room,  and  keeps  close  to  me  at  all  times." 

I  muttered  a  curse  at  the  information.  It  was  not  exactly  what 
an  impatient  man  desired  to  put  up  with. 

"  Does  she  drink  wine?"  I  whispered. 

"  Yes,  she  has  a  bottle  of  wine  or  spirit  in  my  room,  and  every 
night  drinks  half  a  glass  for  the  purpose  of  producing  sleep." 

"  Then  I  have  her  on  the  hip.  Go  to  the  table  without  me. 
I  will  linger  behind.  But  where  is  the  bottle  kept?  " 

"  In  a  chest  of  drawers  —  the  lower  one  ;  "  and  at  this  instant 
the  duenna  made  her  appearance. 

44  There  is  no  watch  there,  senorita,"  said  the  duenna. 

Gracia  seemed  surprised,  and  looked  at  her.  dress  belt  and 
laughed. 


THE   DINNER   TABLE.  327 

"  I  have  it  here.     I  am  so  sorry  I  troubled  you." 

"  O,"  grunted  the  old  woman.  She  looked  at  me  as  though 
I  was  the  means  of  sending  her  on  the  errand,  and  I  guess  I  was. 
At  any  rate,  I  did  not  complain  because  Gracia  was  so  forgetful. 

Pretending  that  I  had  left  something  in  my  room,  I  allowed 
the  ladies  to  walk  down  stairs  without  me.  I  had  something 
in  my  valise  I  wanted,  and  it  was  a  small  phial  containing  a 
drug  which  Cringy  had  given  me  upon  the  coast  of  Africa,  and 
recommended  as  something  that  was  excellent  to  produce  sleep. 
I  had  tried  it  once,  and  a  few  drops  had  set  me  into  such  a  sound 
slumber  I  did  not  awake  for  ten  hours.  It  was  very  powerful, 
but  perfectly  harmless  unless  an  overdose  was  taken. 

With  the  phial  I  gained  the  room  occupied  byv  Gracia,  and 
found  the  bottle  the  duenna  loved  so  much.  It  was  half  full 
of  brandy,  as  I  suspected,  and  in  the  spirit  I  poured  a  few 
drops  of  the  drug,  replaced  the  bottle,  and  stole  from  the  apart- 
ment unobserved  by  any  one.  I  thought  if  the  old  lady  took 
a  strong  drink  of  it,  she  would  not  pay  much  attention  to  a  con- 
versation between  Gracia  and  myself,  but  I  was  really  fearful 
something  would  happen  to  spoil  my  well-laid  scheme. 

In  the  dining-room  the  soup  was  just  being  served.  Captain 
Martenello  was  at  the  table.  The  captain  smiled  and  bowed  to 
me,  but  I  knew  how  much  he  meant  by  it,  although  I  returned 
him  smile  for  smile,  and  even  exchanged  a  few  pleasant  words 
with  him. 

The  dinner,  like  most  of  the  Don's  dinners,  passed  off  heavily 
enough.  I  was  glad  when  the  meal  was  concluded,  for  I  longed 
to  be  somewhere  else.  I  quietly  withdrew  from  the  table,  and 
was  happy  when  night  approached,  so  that  I  could  have  an  inter- 
view with  Gracia,  and  see  how  my  drug  worked  upon  the  duenna, 
whose  eyes  were  as  restless  as  a  cat's  during  dinner,  and  for 
watching  me  she  had  been  expressly  engaged. 

I  retired  to  my  room  early,  and  was  glad  when  I  heard  Gracia 
and  the  duenna  enter  their  apartment,  and  bar  the  door  as  though 
fearful  it  would  be  entered  by,  some  person  during  the  night.  I 
waited  patiently,  but  I  had  to  wait  an  hour  before  the  blush- 
ing face  of  my  darling  appeared  behind  the  picture. 

u  Is  she  asleep?"  I  asked. 

u  The  saints  be  praised,  she  is,  and  snoring  like  an  earthquake. 
It  was  a  lon£  time  before  she  went  off,  and  I  feared  that  the  drug 


328  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

would  not  exert  its  influence.  She  started  up  every  few  minutes 
and  stared  around  wildly,  as  though  she  suspected  the  trick  that 
had  been  put  upon  her ;  but  I  pretended  to  be  asleep,  and  she 
went  off  at  last,  What  am  I  to  do?" 

"  I  will  tell  you,"  I  replied ;  and  then  I  kissed  her  for  being 
such  a  good  girl  during  my  absence,  and  swore  I  had  been 
like  the  needle  to  the  pole,  faithful  and  true,  while  I  was  at 
Havana. 

And  she  believed  me,  and  I  felt  quite  happy  to  think  I  was 
able  to  give  such  a  good  account  of  myself,  and  without  resorting 
to  subterfuge.  And  I  told  her  what  I  had  done,  and  we  laid  our 
plans  for  an  elopement,  and  not  until  daylight  did  we  conclude  our 
long  and  interesting  conversation,  and  then  the  lady  stole  to  her 
room,  where  the  duenna  was  sleeping  soundly  and  making  unme- 
lodious  music  with  her  nose.  Gracia  felt  no  compunctions  of 
conscience  at  leaving  her  father,  for  she  considered  I  had  the 
best  claim  upon  her  affections,  and  I  thought  so  too. 

The  next  day  I  started  in  the  volante,  with  Jose  to  drive,  to 
see' how  matters  were  progressing  on  board  the  Coquette.  I  found 
Mr.  Prentice  and  the  men  were  fast  getting  ready  for  sea,  as 
they  had  landed  everything  which  was  of  the  lumber  order,  and 
stowed  it  away  in  storehouses  which  Francisco  had  provided  on 
shore.  The  stores  were  all  on  board  from  the  vessel  which  I  had 
chartered  at  Havana,  and  the  Coquette  looked  as  neat  as  wax- 
work, with  her  holy-stoned  deck  as  white  as  snow. 

Francisco,  with  an  eye  to  my  comfort  and  the  gratification  of 
Gracia,  had  purchased  some  ten  dozen  fowls,  eggs  in  abundance, 
and  large  quantities  of  fruit,  which  were  carefully  put  on  board 
and  were  ready  for  use. 

"  How  soon  can  you  be  ready  for  sea  ? "  I  asked  of  Mr. 
Prentice. 

"  We  are  all  ready  now,  sir,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  casks 
of  water,  and  those  I  shall  fill  this  afternoon,  besides  giving  the 
rigging  a  little  setting  up,  for  it's  rather  slack  by  carrying  sail." 

"  Then  be  all  ready  to  start  at  a  moment's  notice,"  I  said,  de- 
termined to  carry  off  Gracia  that  very  night.  "  When  we  leave 
it  will  be  in  a  hurry." 

"  All  right,  sir.  I'm  ready  at  any  time.  I  have  never  axed 
what  our  business  is,  but  I  s'pose  I  shall  know  in  good  time.  As 
long  as  it  don't  place  my  neck  in  danger  I  don't  care." 


PLANS    FOR   AN   ELOPEMENT.  329 

"  Your  neck  is  perfectly  safe,"  I  replied.  "  The  only  neck 
to  be  endangered  is  mine,  and  I'll  run  the  risk,  for  the  object  is  a 
worthy  one." 

The  mate  looked  puzzled,  but  asked  no  more  questions. 

"  Do  the  men  seem  satisfied?"  I  asked. 

"  Well,  I  should  think  they  might,  sir.  They  haven't  seen  so 
much  money  as  you  gin  'em  for  many  months,  and  if  the  men 
had  but  a  tot  of  liquor  once  in  a  while  in  port,  they  wouldn't  care 
about  stepping  on  dry  land  agin  for  some  months." 

I  took  the  hint,  and  when  I  went  on  shore  purchased  a  barrel 
of  wine,  not  of  the  best  brand  though,  and  sent  word  to  the 
mate  to  take  charge  of  it,  and  serve  out  liquor  to  the  men  twice  a 
day.  This  was  something  so  entirely  unexpected,  the  men  swore 
I  was  the  best  captain  who  ever  stepped  foot  upon  a  quarter-deck, 
and  that  they  didn't  care  a  cuss  if  they  did  go  hunting  for  slaves. 
But  I  had  no  such  intentions. 

In  the  afternoon  I  started  for  home,  telling  Francisco  to  look 
for  me  by  daylight  the  next  morning. 

"  Jose,"  I  said,  while  riding  towards  San  Philippe,  "  you  will 
do  anything'  I  ask  you  to." 

44  Yes,  senor,"  was  the  ready  answer. 

"  Can  you  get  a  volante  with  two  horses  for  me  to-night?  I 
don't  want  a  single  person  to  know  I  am  going  away.  I  shall 
start  about  twelve  o'clock." 

The  negro  thought  a  moment. 

"  I  can  do  it,  master,"  he  said,  at  length.  "  The  slaves  round 
the  stable  don't  know  much,  and  are  lazy  dogs.  They  had  rather 
be  dancing  than  tending  their  work.  The  people  have  a  party 
to-night  on  the  senor  Enrique's  plantation.  Our  folks  all  want 
to  go.  I'll  tell  them  that  I'll  take  care  of  the  stable,  and  they'll 
go  and  leave  me  in  charge." 

"  That  will  do,  Jose.  As  soon  as  you  see  that  the  Don  and 
his  family  have  retired  for  the  night,  put  two  of  the  best  horses 
to  the  volante  and  drive  to  the  avenue.  Then  come  under  my 
window,  and  wait  until  you  hear  from  me.  But  above  all  things, 
let  no  one  suspect  what  you  are  about  to  do." 

The  negro  promised  obedience,  and  I  had  no  doubt  but  that  he 
would  serve  me  faithfully. 

During  the  afternoon  I  completed  my  preparations  for  depar- 


330  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

ture,  and  hinted  to  Gracia  to  do  the  same ;  but  the  old  duenna 
kept  such  watch  over  the  young  lady  it  was  impossible  for  her  to 
collect  her  dresses,  or  make  any  of  those  arrangements  which 
were  so  necessary  for  a  hasty  flight. 

I  waited  impatiently  for  night.  I  feared  something  would 
occur  to  deprive  me  of  the  prize  which  I  was  so  anxious  to  pos- 
sess ;  but  at  an  early  hour  Gracia  complained  of  a  slight  head- 
ache, and  retired  to  her  chamber  after  receiving  the  usual  blessing, 
which  her  parent  bestowed,  apparently  with  more  feeling  than- he 
was  apt  to  do  upon  like  occasions.  Old  Martha  followed  the 
young  lady,  looking  unusually  vicious  and  wakeful,  as  though  she 
was  determined  to  make  up  with  watchfulness  what  she  had  lost 
by  sleep  the  night  before. 

I  did  not  lay  down,  but  extinguished  my  light,  and  waited  pa- 
tiently for  the  signal  which  should  inform  me  that  Martha  was 
asleep.  The  house  was  quiet,  and  not  a  soul  seemed  to  be  stir- 
ring. Don  Ingracia  had  retired  an  hour  before,  but  Captain  Mar- 
tenello  had  conversed  with  him  for  a  few  minutes  and  then  sought 
his  apartment.  I  feared  the  soldier  suspected  something,  for  I 
did  not  like  his  looks. 

At  twelve  o'clock  precisely  I  heard  the  voice  of  Gracia. 

"  Don't  make  the  least  noise,"  she  said,  "  for  Martha  has  just 
fell  into  a  deep  sleep.  She  was  unusually  restless,  and  complained 
that  her  drink  tasted  bitter,  and  asked  me  to  try  some  and  see 
if  it  was  not  so.  What  shall  I  do,  for  I  am  so  nervous  I  can't 
move?" 

I  soothed  her  for  a  few  moments,  and  then  directed  her  to  pack 
up  what  clothes  she  desired,  but  to  leave  all  of  her  jewels,  as  I 
was  wealthy  enough  to  purchase  such  as  she  wished.  She  re- 
turned to  her  room  to  obey  me,  and  while  she  was  absent  I  care- 
fully shoved  back  the  window  and  looked  out ;  but  the  night 
was  rather  dark,  and  the  trees  so  shaded  the  house  I  could  see 
nothing. 

"  Jose,"  I  whispered. 

"  Here,  senor,"  answered  the  faithful  fellow.  "  I  am  all  ready, 
and  have  been  waiting  an  hour." 

"And  the  volante?" 

"  That  is  also  ready,  senor." 

"  Good  !  Take  my  valise  which  I  shall  lower  to  you,  and  keep 
a  sharp  watch  for  the  servants." 


FLIGHT   BY   NIGHT.  331 

"  No  fear  of  them,  senor.  The  stablemen  have  all  gone  to  the 
dance,  and  won't  be  home  till  daylight." 

I  lowered  my  valise  from  the  window,  and  then  went  to  Gra- 
cia.  She  thrust  into  my  arms  a  few  dresses,  and  such  things  as 
she  wanted. 

"  I  dare  not  stop  for  more,"  she  said.  "  Martha  is  restless, 
and  talks  in  her  sleep.  If  she  should  awaken  all  is  lost." 

But  I  was  determined  that  Gracia  should  not  suffer,  while  on 
board  of  the  schooner,  for  the  want  of  proper  clothing ;  and  in 
spite  of  her  remonstrances  visited  her  chamber,  and  found  such 
articles  as  I  thought  were  necessary.  But  before  I  left,  I  turned 
and  looked  at  Martha.  She  was  lying  on  her  back  and  talk- 
ing while  she  slept,  but  it  was  so  incoherent  I  did  not  stop  to 
listen. 

I  took  all  of  Gracia's  clothes,  packed  them  in  a  shawl,  and 
threw  them  out  of  the  window,  where  they  were  taken  charge  of 
by  the  faithful  Jose,  who  waited  for  me  patiently. 

"  Now,  Gracia,"  I  said,  "  we  must  take  our  departure.  We 
must  pass  through  the  corridors  and  out  of  the  side  door.  If  we 
meet  any  one  be  sure  that  you  speak  not  a  word,  but  leave  all 
to  me." 

She  promised  compliance,  and  carefully  opening  the  door  I 
stepped  forth.  We  took  no  light  for  fear  of  attracting  attention, 
for  I  have  before  alluded  to  the  fact  that  some  of  the  servants 
slept  in  the  hall  on  settees,  while  others  rolled  upon  the  floor, 
without  pillow  or  blanket.  These  we  would  have  to  pass,  and  a 
light  would  have  revealed  more  than  was  desirable. 

I  took  Gracia's  hand  and  led  her  along  the  corridor,  stepping 
carefully  for  fear  we  should  stumble  over  the  prostrate  bodies  of 
the  slaves  ;  but  we  gained  the  stairs,  and  descended  them  with- 
out meeting  any  one,  or  making  a  noise.  Then  I  thought  I  was 
safe  ;  but  just  as  I  was  hurrying  towards  the  door  which  we  were 
to  make  our  exit  from,  one  of  the  negroes  started  up  from  a  settee, 
and  appeared  to  listen  to  our  movements. 

"  Is  that  you,  Pedro?"  the  fellow  asked. 

I  made  no  answer,  and  pressed  Gracia's  hand  for  her  to  keep 
silent. 

"  You  must  not  try  and  play  your  tricks  on  this  child,"  the 
slave  said.  "  I  am  wide  awake  and  on  the  watch." 


332  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

I  still  remained  quiet,  and  hardly  breathed,  so  fearful  was  I 
the  fellow  would  pursue  his  investigations. 

"  I  guess  it  wasn't  Pedro,  after  all,"  the  slave  said,  stretching 
himself  upon  the  settee  again ;  but  at  any  rate  he  was  disposed  to 
make  all  sure,  and  taking  his  shoe,  or  something  that  was  handy, 
hurled  it  in  our  direction. 

The  missile  flew  past  us  and  struck  the  head  of  a  negro  who 
was  sleeping  on  a  settee  on  the  other  side  of  the  entry.  As  the 
fellow's  skull  was  thick,  it  only  aroused  him  a  little,  and  rolling 
over,  was  soon  asleep  again.  In  a  few  minutes  all  was  quiet, 
and  by  the  heavy  breathing  of  the  negroes  I  judged  they  were 
all  slumbering  once  more. 

Then  we  walked  towards  the  door,  but  just  as  we  reached  it, 
Gracia  struck  her  foot  against  a  slave,  and  the  shock  was 
so  sudden  she  uttered  a  cry  of  surprise.  The  negro  jumped 
upon  his  feet  with  a  yell  of  fear,  for  he  supposed  the  house  was 
invaded  by  robbers,  and  that  his  throat  was  to  be  cut  in  the 
shortest  possible  time,  and  without  the  slightest  ceremony.  I 
heard  the  other  slaves  start  up  and  cry  out,  and  I  knew  that  there 
was  no  time  to  lose,  or  to  stand  for  ceremony.  The  negro  whom 
Gracia  had  stepped  upon,  had  caught  her  garments  in  his  hands 
and  was  holding  on  to  them  tightly,  so  the  lady  whispered  to  me ; 
but  the  instant  after  I  received  the  information,  the  slave  meas- 
ured his  length  upon  the  floor,  the  effects  of  a  heavy  blow  be- 
tween his  eyes,  for  I  had  judged  where  his  head  was,  and  had 
aimed  accordingly. 

The  fellow  yelled  like  a  demon  as  he  struck  the  floor.  In 
an  instant  his  companions  were  in  commotion,  and  were  asking 
each  other  to  light  lamps,  and  what  was  the  matter.  The 
explanation,  I  thought,  would  come  soon  enough ;  and  catch- 
ing Gracia  in  my  arms,  I  squared  away  for  the  door  in  a 
hurry.  I  luckily  found  it  open,  and  out  I  went  and  closed  it 
after  me. 

"  Jose,"  I  said,  for  I  did  not  see  that  important  individual,  ow- 
ing to  his  color  and  the  darkness  of  the  night. 

"  Here,  senor,"  was  the  answer  ;  and  Jose  arose  from  the  grass 
where  he  had  been  lying  at  full  length. 

44  Lead  the  way  to  the  volante,"  I  said.  u  We  must  move  in 
a  hurry,  for  the  house  is  alarmed." 

Jose  started  on  a  run  for  the  vehicle,  and  I  followed  him  with 


THE    HOUNDS    ON   THE   TRAIL.  333 

Gracia  in  my  arms,  as  fast  as  possible.  As  I  did  so,  I  looked 
back  and  saw  that  several  lights  were  burning  in  the  house,  and 
also  heard  a  confused  murmur,  as  though  half  a  dozen  people 
were  talking  at  the  same  time,  and  none  listening. 

We  were  compelled  to  run  for  a  dozen  rods  before  we  reached 
the  volante  ;  but  as  soon  as  we  gained  it,  Jose  sprang  to  the  heads 
of  the  horses,  while  I  lifted  Gracia  into  the  carriage,  and  jumped 
in  after  her.  She  was  hardly  conscious,  so  frightened  was  she. 

For  a  moment  I  glanced  back.  I  could  hear  the  negroes  shout- 
ing to  each  other  on  the  piazza,  and  the  Don  raving.  Then  Jose 
let  the  whip  fall  upon  the  horses,  and  we  were  off  at  a  ten-knot 
rate  of  speed,  through  the  winding  avenue,  through  the  gater  and 
out  upon  the  level  road,  where  the  carriage  wheels  and  the 
horses'  hoofs  awoke  the  echoes  of  the  quiet  night,  and  revealed  to 
those  in  the  house  the  direction  which  we  had  taken. 

I  folded  Gracia  in  my  arms,  and  whispered  words  of  comfort  in 
her  ears  ;  but  she  did  not  heed  me,  for  her  tears  were  falling  fast, 
and  I  had  no  doubt  she  was  thinking  of  the  home  which  she  had 
left,  and  the  rage  of  her  father. 

While  toiling  slowly  up  a  hill,  about  three  miles  from  the  Don's 
house,  I  looked  back  and  listened  to  see  if  we  were  pursued.  I 
could  hear  nothing,  but  Jose's  ears  were  more  quick,  for  he 
started  hastily,  gathered  up  the  reins,  and  used  the  whip  most 
vigorously. 

"  What  is  the  matter,  Jose?"  I  asked. 

"  The  houn-ds,"  he  answered,  in  a  whisper.  "  The  Don  has 
let  loose  the  dogs,  and  they  are  on  our  trail." 

The  intelligence  did  not  dismay  me.  I  was  armed  with  a 
pair  of  revolvers,  well  loaded,  and  a  bowie  knife,  and  considered 
that  I  was  a  match  for  eight  or  ten  of  the  animals,  at  least  as 
long  as  I  remained  in  the  volaute.  I  ordered  Jose  to  let  the 
horses  walk  up  the  hill,  and  thus  save  their  wind  and  strength, 
and  calmly  awaited  the  onset. 

Our  horses  toiled  slowly  up  the  hill,  but  before  we  gained  the 
summit  the  bays  of  the  hounds  were  terribly  distinct,  as  they 
pressed  on  after  us  with  noses  close  to  the  ground,  uttering 
their  discordant  music,  and  licking  their  chops  with  the  antici- 
pation of  a  battle,  or  worrying  some  human  being  to  death.  I 
was  so  fearful  Gracia  would  hear  the  dogs  and  become  terrified, 
I  would  willingly  have  given  thousands  of  dollars  if  I  could 


334  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

have  been  warranted  free  of  their  presence.  But  as  we  neared 
the  top  of  the  hill,  the  noise  of  the  dogs  could  no  longer  be  con- 
cealed from"  Gracia,  so  she  raised  her  head  and  listened  most  at- 
tentively. 

"It  is  nothing,"  I  said,  folding  my  arms  around  her,  "  but 
some  dogs  chasing  a  negro.  We  shall  soon  be  rid  of  them." 

I  don't  know  whether  she  really  thought  as  I  wanted  her  to  or 
not,  but  she  nestled  her  head  once  more  upon  my  shoulder,  and 
closed  her  eyes  as  though  trying  to  sleep. 

Just  as  we  gained  the  top  of  the  hill  the  dogs  were  within  five 
rods  of  us,  giving  tongue  most  savagely,  and  eager  upon  the  scent. 
Jose  gathered  the  reins  in  his  hands,  and  was  about  to  apply  his 
whip  to  the  animals  which  he  drove,  when  I  gently  released  my- 
self from  Gracia's  embrace,  and  laid  a  hand  upon  the  negro's 
shoulder.  He  started  as  though  he  felt  the  teeth  of  the  dogs  in 
his  flesh.  I  caught  his  hand  and  checked  the  horses,  much  to 
his  astonishment. 

"We  must  kill  those  dogs  here,"  I  said,  "and  not  let  them 
get  the  better  of  us  while  going  down  hill.  We  should  lose  com- 
mand of  the  horses." 

"  As  you  please,  senor,"  the  man  answered  ;  "  but  the  hounds 
will  fight  well." 

"  I  know  it.  Attend  to  the  horses  and  keep  them  quiet.  I 
will  take  care  of  the  dogs." 

The  dogs  were  cunning,  for  they  had  divided  their  forces,  one 
on  each  side  of  the  volaute,  and  turned  their  whole  attention  to 
the  negro,  as  though  he  was  the  only  one  who  was  to  be  warred 
against. 

"  Save  me,  senor,"  cried  Jose,  turning  his  dark  face  towards 
me,  and  shivering  with  terror. 

I  did  not  wait  to  be  called  upon  twice,  but  leaning  forward, 
put  the  muzzle  of  a  pistol  close  to  the  head  of  the  dog,  and  fired. 
The  next  instant  there  was  a  loud  yelp,  and  down  tumbled  the 
animal  with  a  ball  through  his  brain. 

"  The  other  one,  too,"  cried  Jose,  kicking  at  the  remaining 
hound  with  his  huge  feet,  although  there  was  great  danger  the 
dog  would  get  a  mouthful  of  toes  by  the  operation. 

As  Jose  spoke,  the  hound  made  a  spring  and  reached  the  driv- 
er's seat,  to  which  he  clung  with  his  fore-paws,  and  made  frantic 
attempts  to  bite  the  slave ;  but  the  latter  shifted  his  position  with 


AN    OVERTURN.  335 

a  sudden  jump,  and  as  he  did  so  started  the  horses  ;  they  plunged 
down  the  hill  with  fearful  speed,  and  their  abrupt  movement 
threw  me  to  the  bottom  of  the  volante ;  but,  luckily,  without 
discharging  my  pistol,  which  I  held  on  to  tightly  as  my  best 
friend. 

"  Hold  the  horses,  Jose,"  I  shouted. 

"  I  would,  senor,  but  the  dog,  whom  the  saints  curse,  is  snap- 
ping at  me,"  was  the  answer. 

The  negro  feared  the  hound  more  than  he  did  breaking  his 
neck  by  being  thrown  from  the  carriage  ;  for,  from  the  time  he 
was  able  to  work,  he  had  been  taught  that  bloodhounds  were 
terrible  animals,  and  that  one  of  them  was  able  to  overcome  a 
dozen  negroes.  Therefore,  instead  of  watching  the  horses,  the 
slave  preferred  keeping  his  eyes  upon  the  dog ;  and  I  must 
confess  the  brute  did  not  look  inviting,  as  he  snapped  at  us 
and  struggled  to  get  into  the  volante,  yet  was  unable  to  do  so, 
owing  to  the  pace  at  which  the  horses  were  going.  Momen- 
tarily I  expected  the  craft  would  founder,  for  we  were  carrying 
too  much  sail  for  the  course  we  were  steering ;  but  as  soon  as 
I  picked  myself  up,  and  saw  that  Gracia  was  uninjured,  and  was 
holding  on  for  dear  life,  I  thought,  in  case  of  a  wreck,  the  dog 
would  soon  play  the  deuce  with  us,  so  ended  his  career  in  the 
same  manner  that  the  other  one  was  finished,  much  to  the  joy 
of  the  negro,  who  uttered  a  shout  which  could  have  been  heard 
for  half  a  mile,  before  he  gathered  up  his  reins  or  made  any  at- 
tempt to  stop  the  horses.  Ttie  consequences  were,  the  wheels  on 
the  starboard  side  struck  a  rock,  and  for  a  moment  the  volante 
was  suspended  in  the  air  like  Mahomet's  coffin,  and  then,  with  a 
surge,  over  it  went. 

I  had  seen  the  impending  danger  in  time  to  put  up  my  pistol, 
throw  my  arms  around  Gracia,  and  when  we  capsized  jumped 
with  her,  and  luckily  struck  the  earth  without  the  slightest  injury 
to  either  of  us  ;  but  I  caught  a  glimpse  of  Jose  performing  half  a 
dozen  somersaults,  with  the  ruins  of  the  carriage  revolving  around 
him  like  planets  around  the  sun  ;  and  then  the  horses  suddenly 
stopped,  for  there  was  no  more  mischief  to  do  just  at  that  moment. 

u  Are  you  hurt?  "  asked  Gracia,  in  an  anxious  tone. 
»    "  Not  in  the  least.     And  you?" 

"  Am  I  not  in  your  arms?  "  she  asked,  as  though  she  was  quite 
safe  there  from  all  danger. 


336  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

I  kissed  her,  and  went  to  the  assistance  of  Jose,  whom  I  found 
mixed  up  with  the  wreck  of  the  vehicle. 

"Are  you  injured?"  I  asked,  clearing  away  some  of  the 
wreck. 

"  No,  senor  ;  I  think  not,"  was  the  answer,  and  the  slave  felt 
of  his  limbs.  Suddenly  he  bent  his  head  to  the  ground  and  whis- 
pered, "  We  are  pursued,  senor,  by  people  from  the  house,  but 
we  can  avoid  them  by  leaving  the  road,  and  finding  shelter  in  the 
wood." 

I  had  half  a  mind  to  do  so  ;  but  I  feared  we  should  lose  our 
way  in  the  bushes,  and  miss  reaching  port  by  daylight,  in  which 
case  I  should  stand  a  poor  chance  of  accomplishing  my  object; 
for  it  seemed  quite  probable  to  me  that  the  Don  would  collect 
a  sufficient  force  to  cut  off  my  retreat,  and  hem  me  in  on  all 
sides,  and  my  treatment,  under  such  circumstances,  I  imagined, 
would  not  be  of  the  lightest  kind,  especially  if  Captain  Marte- 
nello  had  command.  I  thought  of  these  things  while  some  horse- 
men were  coming  down  the  hill,  and  just  as  their  forms  became 
visible,  I  had  made  up  my  mind  I  would  stand  my  ground  and 
let  them  do  their  worst,  if  my  pursuers  were  inclined  to  fight ; 
and  I  did  not  doubt  but  they  were,  provided  I  could  be  taken  at 
a  disadvantage. 

Suddenly  one  of  the  horses  caught  sight  of  the  broken  volante, 
and  gave  a  spring  to  avoid  a  collision  ;  and  if  the  man  who  was 
mounted  upon  the  animal  had  not  been  an  admirable  horseman, 
he  would  have  been  sent  flying  through  the  air  like  a  rocket  with- 
out a  tail.  This  circumstance  caused  both  men  to  check  their 
animals,  and  look  around  to  see  what  the  matter  was. 

"  Diablo"  cried  a  voice,  which  I  recognized  as  that  of  Captain 
Martenello,  "  the  infernal  brute  nearly  sent  me  flying  over  his 
head.  There  is  something  in  the  road.  Can  you  make  out  what 
it  is?" 

"  My  eyes  are  somewhat  dim,"  said  the  Don.  "  Perhaps  you 
had  better  examine  the  road,  and  report  what  the  .obstruction  is." 

"  Yes ;  I  suppose  I  must  encounter  all  the  danger,  although 
one  would  imagine  that  a  father  looking  for  a  daughter  would 
care  for  nothing  else." 

"  I  should  think  a  lover  would  fear  no  danger  while  in  pursuit 
of  a  mistress,"  the  Don  said.  "  The  rascal  who  has  stolen  my 
child  would  not  have  scrupled  to  encounter  a  dozen  men  in  her 
behalf.  He  is  a  bold  man,  although  a  bad  one." 


FEARFUL   OF  AN  AMBUSH.  337 

"  Curses  on  him  !  "  the  captain  muttered.  "  I  should  like  to 
test  his  bravery.  I  believe  him  to  be  a  bragging  coward,  like 
most  Americans.  If  I  overtake  him,  he  shall  never  see  another 
day." 

While  the  captain  was  speaking,  the  Don  had  carefully  ap- 
proached the  volante  and  examined  it. 

"  This  is  the  carriage  in  which  they  escaped,"  cried  the  Don. 
"  They  have  been  overturned,  and  can't  be  far  from  here.  Let 
us  ride  on,  and  see  if  we  can't  find  them." 

"  And  fall  into  an  ambush  and  furnish  targets  for  that  cursed 
Yankee  and  his  revolver  ?  "  cried  the  rational  captain.  "  No, 
senor,  I  don't  do  anything  of  that  sort.  I'm  too  good  a  soldier." 

"  Why,  I  thought  that  a  moment  since  you  were  anxious  for  a 
fight.  How  is  it  you  change  so  sudden  ?  We  must  reach  the  port 
before  daylight,  or  my  child  is  lost  —  not  only  to  you,  but  to  me 
forever." 

"  I  would  fight  the  American  or  any  other  man  who  seeks  to 
deprive  me  of  a  mistress,"  cried  the  gallant  captain,  "  but  I  don't 
like  meeting  a  man  in  the  dark.  Besides,  the  Americans  are  a 
bloodthirsty  race,  and  don't  care  how  many  men  they  kill.  If 
you  had  taken  my  advice,  we  should  have  waited  until  a  dozen  or 
twenty  of  the  servants  had  been  mounted,  so  they  could  have 
started  with  us." 

"  I  know,  I  know,"  the  perplexed  Don  remarked  ;  "  but  I  sup- 
posed the  dogs  would  bring  them  to.  I  had  no  idea  they  would 
allow  themselves  to  be  shot." 

The  captain  uttered  a  malediction,  and  spurred  his  horse  for- 
ward ;  as  he  did  so,  his  sharp  eyes  caught  sight  of  the  white 
dress  which  Gracia  wore.  Jose  and  myself  he  did  not  see. 

"  I  have  found  her,"  cried  the  captain.  "  Her  companion  has 
fled,  and  left  her  alone.  If  he  was  but  here,  I  would  punish  him 
for  his  treachery." 

He  threw  himself  from  his  horse  as  he  spoke,  and  advanced 
towards  Gracia,  who  clung  to  me  in  terror,  for  fear  he  would  pre- 
vail and  carry  her  back  to  her  home. 

"  Jose,"  I  whispered,  "  secure  the  captain's  horse.  I  shall 
want  it." 

The  negro  dropped  upon  his  hands  and  knees,  and  crawled 
along  the  side  of  the  road,  entirely  unnoticed  by  the  Don  and 
captain,  who  were  too  eager  to  secure  the  lady  to  think  of  any- 
22 


338  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

thing  else.  The  captain  dropped  the  bridle  of  his  horse  and 
sprang  towards  Gracia ;  but  just  as  he  was  about  to  lay  a  hand 
upon  her  arm,  the  moon,  which  had  beeft  hidden  behind  some 
dark  clouds,  appeared,  and  revealed  to  the  astonished  soldier  his 
rival's  form. 

He  uttered  a  fierce  oath  and  started  back,  and  as  he  did  so,  I 
saw  him  put  his  hand  to  his  breast  as  though  searching  for  a 
weapon.  I  drew  Gracia  behind  me.  and  kept  my  eyes  fixed 
steadily  upon  the  man's  movements,  determined  to  shoot  him 
down  if  he  showed  any  hostile  intentions ;  but  while  the  captain 
was  searching  for  a  weapon,  the  Don  made  an  appeal  to  his 
daughter. 

"  Gracia,"  he  said,  "  return  with  me,  or  I  will  never  forgive 
you  for  this  act  of  disobedience.  I  have  the  best  right  to  your 
love,  and  shall  exert  my  authority  to  compel  your  return  if  you 
decline.  Do  not  trust  to  strangers,  especially  an  American. 
They  are  a  desperate  race." 

Had  he  talked  like  a  parent  who  really  loved  his  child,  I  have 
some  doubt  whether  Gracia  would  not  have  been  moved  by  his 
affection,  but  he  commanded  her  like  a  tyrant,  and  she  resisted. 

"  Padre,"  she  said,  "  I  have  always  been  all  affection  to  you, 
and  should  have  continued  to  love  and  obey  you  ;  but  you  sought 
to  force  me  to  marry  a  man  whom  I  disliked,  and  never  asked 
the  state  of  my  feelings.  I  have  loved  the  senor  Robert  since  he 
saved  my  life,  and  I  always  shall  love  him  until  death.  I  must 
go  where  he  calls  me,  even  to  misery ;  but  I  trust  to  happiness. 
Pardon  me,  father,  but  think  how  much  I  owe  the  senor." 

"  Enough,"  cried  the  captain.  "  I  did  not  come  here  to  hear 
the  whining  of  a  girl  who  should  be  placed  in  a  convent  until  her 
senses  are  restored.  I  was  led  to  suppose  she  was  anxious  to 
become  my  wife,  or  I  should  not  be  here.  Let  us  finish  our 
work  as  soon  as  possible,  and  return.  Advance,  Don  Ingracia, 
and  claim  your  child,  and  woe  to  the  man  who  opposes  you." 

I  began  to  think  I  had  miscalculated  the  fellow,  after  all,  and 
that  he  really  had  some  fight  in  him.  I  thought  I  would  give 
him  a  chance  to  show  his  spirit,  and  therefore  submitted  a  propo- 
sition. 

"  Senor,"  I  said,  "  we  can  settle  this  matter  between  us.  We 
each  claim  the  lady's  hand.  Let  us  fight  for  her  like  men,  and 
to  the  victor  she  shall  belong." 


DEATH  OF  THE  CAPTAIN.     Page  339. 


DEATH   OF   THE   CAPTAIN.  339 

"  I  am  a  gentleman,"  was  the  haughty  answer,  "  and  cannot 
debase  myself  so  much  as  to  fight  with  a  man  who  deals  in  slaves. 
Become  like  me,  and  I  will  refer  you  to  a  friend." 

"  So  that  you  could  have  time  to  run,"  broke  in  Jose,  to  my 
utter  surprise. 

The  captain  turned  and  cast  a  look  of  fury  and  scorn  upon  the 
slave,  who  had  dared  to  speak  in  such  a  manner. 

"  You  black  rascal,"  the  Spaniard  said,  "  Til  have  you  whipped 
from  one  end  of  the  island  to  the  other,  if  you  dare  to  speak  to 
me." 

u  Thank  you,  Senor  Captain ;  but  I  don't  belong  to  you,  and 
never  expect  to.  You  are  much  more  fond  of  whipping  blacks 
than  fighting  whites,  as  half  your  regiment  can  testify." 

"  Silence,  Jose,"  I  said. 

But  I  was  too  late  with  my  rebuke  ;  for  the  words  had  so  irri- 
tated the  Spaniard,  he  turned  upon  the  black,  who  was  stand- 
ing near,  not  suspecting  an  attack,  and  plunged  a  long  knife  into 
his  bosom. 

"  I  am  killed,"  cried  Jose,  as  he  sank  upon  his  knees,  stretch- 
ing out  his  hands  towards  me,  as  though  praying  me  to  revenge 
his  murder. 

Gracia  shrieked,  and  would  have  fled  from  the  scene,  but  I  re- 
strained her.-  Her  cries  aroused  the  rage  of  the  captain  to  a 
frantic  pitch,  and,  thirsting  for  blood,  he  waved  his  knife  and 
sprang  towards  me  with  the  benevolent  intention  of  serving  me  iu 
the  same  manner  he  had  Jose. 

"  Come  no  nearer,"  I  cried,  cocking  my  revolver.  "  Be  warned 
in  time." 

"  Dog  of  a  Yankee,"  the  madman  replied,  "  you,  too,  shall 
die." 

He  was  within  three  paces  of  me  when  he  spoke,  and  his  knife 
was  gleaming  in  the  moonbeams  ready  to  descend  upon  my 
breast,  so  I  had  no  time  to  lose.  I  aimed  my  pistol  and  fired. 
The  captain  plunged  at  my  feet,  face  down,  and  did  not  move 
again,  so  I  am  inclined  to  think  the  bullet  took  effect ;  but  I  did 
not  examine  the  man,  or  look  for  his  wound. 

I  removed  my  eyes  from  the  corpse  just  in  time  to  see  Don  In- 
gracia  staring  at  me  and  the  body  alternately,  as  though  doubting 
the  evidence  of  his  senses,  and  not  knowing  what  to  make  of  it. 


340 

But  suddenly  the  truth  flashed  through  his  brain,  and  with  a 
groan  he  rushed  towards  his  horse,  shouting  as  he  did  so,  — 

"  You  shall  be  shot  for  this,  as  sure  as  my  name  is  Ingracia." 

I  heard  his  horse's  hoofs  dashing  up  the  hill,  and  then,  with  a 
few  quieting  words  to  Gracia,  went  and  examined  Jose.  The  cap- 
tain's knife  had  struck  home,  and  the  poor  fellow's  life-blood  was 
oozing  forth  at  a  rapid  rate. 

"  The  saints  bless  you,  senor,"  Jose  said,  in  a  feeble  tone.  u  I 
should  like  to  have  lived  and  served  you  faithfully  during  a  long 
life,  but  it  cannot  be.  You  have  treated  me  like  a  man  since  I 
have  been  your  slave,  and  I  have  been  happy  in  consequence. 
But  do  not  stay  here.  Fly  to  the  vessel  while  you  have  time,  for 
the  Don  will  soon  return  with  a  large  force,  take  you  prisoner, 
and  treat  you  rudely." 

"  But,  Jose,  I  cannot  leave  you  here  to  die  alone.  I  may  be 
able  to  yet  save  your  life." 

"  No  hope  for  me,  senor.  The  knife  went  too  far.  It  is  but  a 
question  of  time.  You  have  avenged  my  death,  and  that  is  all 
I  could  wish.  The  captain  was  a  rascal,  and  always  was  one. 
I  have  heard  of  his  doings  many  times,  and  I  thank  the  saints 
the  lady  Gracia  was  not  his  wife.  Now  go,  for  time  is  precious 
to  you  and  to  her." 

I  felt  his  hand  grow  cold,  as  his  breath  grew  short.  He 
again  spoke,  but  his  mind  wandered ;  and  in  a  few  miautes  the 
soul  of  the  slave  had  fled  from  its  earthly  abode  to  the  home  that 
is  promised  all  mankind,  regardless  of  color,  creed,  or  profession. 
I  could  have  shed  tears  for  the  man's  death,  for  he  had  bound  him- 
self to  me  by  such  ties  as  rarely  bind  master- and  servant.  Even 
Gracia,  who  had  been  taught  to  look  upon  the  death  of  a  negro 
as  a  matter  of  no  consequence  whatever,  could  not  suppress  her 
tears  as  she  dung  to  my  shoulder  and  gazed  at  the  body.  But  it 
was  no  time  for  grief.  We  had  some  three  miles  to  travel  be- 
fore we  reached  the  port  of  Castro  de  Lego,  and  it  was  necessary 
we  should  arrive  there  early,  or  before  the  inhabitants  of  the 
town  were  stirring.  But  how  to  get  there  was  the  question. 
The  volante  was  a  wreck,  and  the  horses  were  not  saddled ;  but 
while  I  was  thinking  the  matter  over,  Gracia  pointed  to  the  cap- 
tain's horse,  and  said,  — 

"  We  can  ride  that  animal,  and  you  can  hold  me  on." 


ON   BOABD.  341 

I  had  thought  of  that  plan  also,  but  feared  to  propose  it.  I 
put  my  arm  around  her  waist,  lifted  her  to  the  saddle,  and  sprang 
up  behind  her. 

Just  as  the  first  indications  of  day  were  visible  in  the  east, 
we  reached  the  port,  and  rode  quickly  through  the  silent  streets 
towards  the  pier,  where  I  expected  to  find  a  boat  awaiting  me- 
Just  as  we  reached  the  dock,  I  saw  the  black  hull  of  the  Coquette 
sitting  upon  the  water  like  a  duck,  while  a  light,  which  hung  in 
the  main  rigging,  showed  that  the  people  on  board  were  alive 
to  their  duties. 

I  looked  around  for  the  boat  which  I  expected,  but  did  not  see 
one ;  and  just  as  I  was  about  to  hail  the  schooner,  some  person 
sprang  up  from  behind  a  fishing  craft  that  was  overturned  upon  the 
beach,  and  rushed  towards  us. 

"  Here  I  have  waited  for  you  all  night,"  said  Francisco ;  "  and 
the  saints  be  praised,  I  have  not  waited  in  vain.  Senorita,  I 
greet  you." 

The  senorita  bowed  her  acknowledgments. 

"  Is  the  boat  on  shore?"  I  asked. 

"  It  is  behind  the  pier,  senor,  and  the  men  are  waiting." 

"  Then  let  us  embark,  for  we  have  no  time  to  lose  ; "  and  in  ten 
minutes  we  were  on  board  the  schooner,  and  Gracia  was  resting 
in  her  old  state-room. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

UP  WITH   THE   ANCHOR. MORE   PURSUIT. THE   STEAMER. AN 

EXPLANATION,  AND    WHAT   CAME    OF   IT. 

"  You  may  call  all  hands  and  heave  short,"  I  said  to  the  mate. 
"  We  will  take  advantage  of  this  land  breeze,  and  get  a  good 
offiug." 

The  men  quickly  mustered  on  deck,  and  manned  the  windlass, 
and  roused  the  chain  in  with  hardly  an  effort. 

We  hove  short,  hoisted  our  fore  and  aft  sails,  and  then  tripped 
the  anchor ;  and  as  the  head  of  the  vessel  began  to  pay  off,  I 
heard  a  terrible  clattering  in  the  streets  of  the  town,  and  in 


342  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

a  few  seconds  the  uniforms  of  a  dozen  lancers  hove  in  sight ;  and 
splendid  horsemen  they  were,  too,  riding  down  to  the  water's  edge 
at  full  gallop,  and  fairly  splashing  the  brine  into  their  faces  as  they 
drew  rein  in  line,  and  directed  their  gaze  towards  us. 

"  There  is  some  fun  here,"  muttered  Francisco.  "  I  should 
not  wonder  if  I  were  compelled  to  visit  America,  whether  I  de- 
sired to  or  not.  But  the  officer  has  something  to  say.  Let  us 
listen." 

u  The  schooner,  ahoy ! "  cried  the  lieutenant,  who  had  charge 
of  the  party. 

"  Well,  what  is  it?"  I  asked,  leaning  over  the  rail. 

"  In  the  name  of  the  captain  general,  I  command  you  to  sur- 
render the  vessel  into  my  hands,  while  all  of  the  crew  will  go 
with  me  as  prisoners  to  Havana ! "  yelled  the  lieutenant,  with  a 
flourish  of  his  sword. 

"  And  suppose  we  don't  consent  to  such  an  arrangement?"  I 
asked. 

"  We  must  take  you  by  force,  then,"  was  the  unsatisfactory 
answer. 

The  head  of  the  schooner  had  fallen  off,  and  was  pointing  direct 
for  the  harrows.  The  crew  were  wondering  what  we  were  talk- 
ing about,  but  were  not  enlightened,  on  account  of  their  want  of 
knowledge  in  regard  to  the  Spanish  language.  I  saw  they  looked 
curious,  but  far  from  frightened ;  I  hoped  I  should  not  have  to  put 
their  courage  to  a  test. 

"  Ease  off  the  fore  and  main  sheets,"  I  said,  "  and  send  a  hand 
aloft  to  loose  the  topsail." 

The  schooner  began  to  feel  the  force  of  the  wind,  and  gathered 
headway,  which  produced  for  me  the  honor  of  another  hail. 

"  Hullo,  the  schooner !  "  cried  the  officer,  who  had  command 
of  the  cavalry. 

"  What  is  wanting?"  I  asked. 

"  You  must  wait  for  us.  I  have  orders  to  take  prisoner  the 
master  of  the  vessel.  If  you  don't  stop  I  shall  use  violence." 

The  topsail  was  sheeted  home,  and  the  top-gallant  sail  drawing 
like  a  horse.  We  had  just  half  a  mile  to  go  before  we  passed 
the  mouth  of  the  harbor,  and  were  beyond  the  reach  of  the  guns 
of  the  fort,  which  I  did  not  fear  much,  as  they  had  not  been  used 
for  many  years,  and  most  of  them  were  not  mounted. 


MAKING   SAIL.  343 

"  Give  her  the  square-sail,"  I  said  to  the  mate.  "  We  have  no 
time  to  lose,  and  every  stitch  of  canvas  must  count.  Now  is  the 
time  to  test  the  smartness  of  the  crew." 

The  men  jumped  to  obey  the  order,  and  ran  up  the  rigging  like 
monkeys. 

"  By  dam  !  "  shouted  the  soldier,  flourishing  his  sword  over  his 
head,  and  speaking  as  much  English  as  he  could  muster,  for  fear 
I  did  not  understand  Spanish.  "  I  dink  dat  you  run  away  if 
you  can." 

"  You  dink  'bout  right,"  I  answered  back. 

But  the  soldiers  were  upon  no  ordinary  errand,  and  were  de- 
termined to  distinguish  themselves  at  all  hazards.  They  wheeled 
and  rode  back  to  dry  land,  and  then  held  a  short  parley,  which 
resulted  in  a  division  of  forces.  Six  of  them  dismounted  and 
took  possession  of  a  fishing  boat,  while  the  others  spurred  their 
horses  along  the  beach  at  full  speed,  with  the  evident  intention  of 
gaining  a  position  where  they  could  fire  upon  us  at  short  range, 
the  north  side  of  the  narrows,  provided,  of  course,  they  could  gain 
that  place  before  we  passed  through. 

"  I  don't  see  how  I  can  land  with  safety,  now,"  Francisco  said, 
while  we  were  standing  near  the  taffrail,  watching  the  boat  and 
soldiers  who  were  galloping  along  the  shore  with  the  evident  in- 
tention of  cutting  us  off. 

"  Would  it  distress  you  much  if  you  went  on  a  pleasure  trip  to 
the  States  ?  "  I  asked. 

Francisco  smiled.  It  was  what  he  most  desired,  and  I  was 
glad  to  have  his  company. 

"  I  suppose  you  could  explain  matters  to  the  firm,"  the  young 
man  said. 

"  I  will  do  the  best  I  can  for  you  ;  so  consider  yourself  a  pas- 
senger, with  nothing  but  a  good  time  before  you." 

"  Them  soger  chaps  is  coming  arter  us,  hand  over  hand,  sir," 
Mr.  Prentice  said.  "  What  shall  we  do  with  'em  ?  " 

I  looked,  and  found  that  the  boat  was  within  half  a  cable's 
length  of  us,  and  that  the  wind  was  failing  fast,  so  we  merely 
had  steerage  way. 

"  We  can  lick  'em,  sir,"  said  the  mate,  "  if  you  jest  say  the 
word  We  can  do  it,  I  know." 

I  had  no  doubt  of  it,  for  the  Coquette  had  resisted  ten  times  the 


344 

number,  and  successfully,  of  stout  Britons.  Our  guns  were  all  on 
board  and  in  their  places,  but  I  did  not  like  to  use  them  unless 
driven  to  it. 

u  I  have  heard,"  I  remarked,  in  a  quiet  way,  "  that  the  Spanish 
soldiers  don't  take  to  hot  water." 

The  mate  ran  forward  and  put  his  head  into  the  galley  for  a 
moment,  and  then  rushed  aft. 

44  The  doctor's  got  two  coppers  full  of  water,  sir,  all  ready  for 
coffee.  'Tain't  hot  enough  to  start  brustles,  sir,  but  'twill  clean 
'em  amazingly  nice." 

"  And  I  suppose  they  need  it,"  I  remarked. 

"  No  doubt  of  it,  sir.  If  they  don't  like  it  they  can  go  ashore, 
and  be  hanged  to  *em." 

The  mate  went  forward  and  filled  a  bucket  with  hot  water,  and 
with  a  tin  pot  in  his  hand,  stationed  himself  near  the  starboard 
gangway,  to  which  point  the  boat  was  heading. 

"  Say,  dare,  you  no  stop,  hey?"  cried  some  one  in  the  boat. 

"  No,  we  no  stop,"  I  replied,  in  imitation. 

"  Then  cuss  you  ! "  was  the  exclamation  ;  and  the  boat  blun- 
dered alongside. 

"  Watch,  O,  watch  and  heave  !  "  yelled  the  mate,  discharging 
half  a*  dozen  pots  of  water  upon  the  heads  of  the  soldiers,  who 
thought  that  they  were  hurt  much  more  than  they  really  were, 
for  the  water  was  not  hot  enough  to  take  the  skin  off,  but  the 
Spaniards  did  not  stop  to  think  of  that.  With  frantic  yells  they 
shouted  to  each  other  to  shove  the  boat  off,  and  one  individual,  in 
a  state  of  great  excitement,  went  overboard  and  yelled  as  though 
bitten  by  a  shark,  to  the  intense  delight  of  the  fishermen  on  shore, 
who  had  no  love  for  the  soldiers,  and  did  have  much  respect  for 
slavers,  which  latter  class  they  supposed  we  were. 

A  light  breeze  again  came  rippling  over  the  water,  and  filled 
our  sails.  The  Coquette  shot  ahead,  and  left  the  boat  astern,  with 
the  soldiers  swearing  most  frightfully,  and  tearing  off  their  gar- 
ments to  see  how  much  they  were  injured. 

"  We  did  that  pretty  nice,  sir,"  said  the  mate,  coming  aft,  and 
surveying  the  boat  and  crew  with  much  complacency. 

•"  But  the  mounted  squad  is  near  the  mouth  of  the  harbor,  and 
might  injure  us  with  their  pistols,"  I  remarked. 

"  Yes,  they  might  do  that,"  the  mate  said  ;  and  he  glanced  his 
keen  Cape  Cod  eyes  upon  the  soldiers,  who  were  galloping  their 


A   BLANK   CARTRIDGE.  345 

horses  up  the  hill  which  overlooked  the  narrows,  thus  giving  them 
a  fair  chance  at  us. 

"  I  have  heard,"  I  said,  "  that  a  blank  cartridge  would  start  a 
Spanish  soldier  sometimes.  I  think  one  of  our  midship  guns  could 
be  elevated  sufficient  to  rake  those  fellows." 

"  By  the  Lord  Harry,  I'll  try  it,"  the  mate  cried.  u  I  loaded 
'em  all  up  last  night,  'cos  I  didn't  know  but  we  might  want  'em 
for  somethin'  or  uther." 

We  were  moving  through  the  water  at  the  rate  of  three  knots 
an  hour,  and  the  wind  was  freshening  every  moment.  The  cav- 
alry were  ranged  in  line,  and  I  could  see  that  each  man  had 
drawn  his  holster  pistol,  and  intended  to  aim  it  at  us.  They  were 
not  more  than  half  a  cable's  length  from  us,  and  therefore  we 
were  a  very  pretty  target  for  them,  if  they  were  good  marksmen  ; 
but  we  were  not  destined  to  test  their  aim,  for  suddenly  one  of 
our  six-pounders  spoke,  and  to  my  surprise  I  saw  a  shot  strike 
the  bank  close  to  the  soldiers'  feet,  and  throw  a  cloud  of  dust  high 
in  the  air. 

"  I'll  be  darned  if  I  didn't  forget  to  draw  that  'ere  shot,"  said 
the  mate,  with  a  ludicrous  look  of  astonishment.  "  S'posing  I'd 
have  killed  the  dark-skinned  rascals  ?  " 

I  did  not  reply,  for  my  attention  was  directed  towards  the  cav- 
alry, and  if  ever  an  arm  of  the  service  strove  to  get  out  of  the 
way  in  a  hurry,  that  squad  did,  and  without  regard  to  discipline, 
or  who  was  left  behind. 

But  the  soldiers  in  the  boat  determined  to  revenge  their  defeat, 
«and  as  soon  as  they  landed,  applied  to  the  captain  of  the  port,  and 
received  permission  to  open  fire  upon  us  from  the  fort. 

Luckily  the  cavalry  arm  was  not  very  skilful  as  artillerists,  or 
the  Coquette  might  have  been  singed  before  she  was  beyond  range, 
for  one  brass  piece  carried  a  shot  remarkably  well,  pitching  the 
first  about  a  cable's  length  from  us,  on  the  starboard  beam,  and 
sending  the  spray  many  fathoms  high.  The  gun  for  the  second 
shot  was  Badly  aimed,  the  ball  falling  directly  in  our  wake,  half 
a  cable's  length  astern. 

"  This  grows  interesting,"  I  said  to  the  mate.  "  If  they  should 
blunder  enough  to  hit  us,  some  of  our  woodwork  or  spars  will 
suffer.  We  must  get  out  of  range  as  soon  as  possible.  Haul  aft 
the  fore  and  main  sheets,  and  port  your  helm." 

By  altering  our  course  we  were  enabled  to  haul  upon  the  wind, 


346  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

and  head  along  the  land.  A  few  minutes'  sailing  carried  us  under 
the  bluffs,  and  out  of  sight  of  the  fort,  when  we  once  more  edged 
away  from  the  land,  and  kept  on  our  former  course. 

We  had  a  merry  breakfast.  Francisco  was  not  in  the  least 
distressed  at  being  carried  off,  and  was  as  much  satisfied  with  his 
position  as  though  he  was  acting  with  the  full  consent  of  the  firm 
with  which  he  was  connected.  Gracia  was  charming,  of  course, 
and  her  bright  eyes  shone  with  additional  splendor,  as  she  thought 
that  within  a  few  weeks  she  would  be  my  wife ;  and  I  must  con- 
fess that  I  was  even  more  eager  than  herself  for  such  an  agree- 
able consummation. 

After  breakfast  we  went  on  deck,  and  remained  there  until  noon, 
talking  of  various  matters  of  interest  to  ourselves,  but  not  of  the 
slightest  importance  to  the  reader.  The  bold  coast  of  Cuba  was 
in  sight,  not  more  than  six  miles  distanf,  for  we  were  running  it 
down,  heading  as  we  were  to  the  northward,  and  Gracia  was  ad- 
miring the  fertile  valleys  and  the  green  hills,  with  cottages  and 
thatched  huts  scattered  over  both. 

u  There  seems  to  be  some  smoke  close  in  shore,"  Gracia  said, 
pointing  to  the  land. 

I  took  the  glass,  and  saw  that  what  Gracia  took  for  smoke  upon 
the  land  was  smoke  from  the  stack  of  a  large  steamer,  which  had 
apparently  left  Havana  but  a  short  time  before,  and  was  just  round- 
ing a  point  which  had  concealed  her  from  our  observation. 

"  I'd  give  that  fellow  a  wide  berth,"  Francisca  remarked,  "  for 
it  is  the  Spanish  war  steamer  Furious,  and  who  knows  what  her 
errand  may  be  ?  " 

I  took  the  hint,  and  edged  away  from  the  land,  but  saw  with 
some  surprise  that  the  steamer  was  heading  direct  for  us,  and  that, 
as  we  altered  our  course,  so  did  the  man-of-war,  which  looked 
significant. 

"  If  he  is  chasing  us,  under  the  impression  that  we  are  a  slaver, 
I  will  give  him  a  chance  to  overhaul  us,  and  let  him  examine  and 
find  out  his  mistake,"  I  said  to  Francisco. 

"  Don't  do  that,"  was  my  friend's  reply.  "I  never  knew  a 
war  steamer,  belonging  to  Spain,  to  chase  a  slaver,  unless  the 
latter  was  in  distress.  Depend  upon  it,  our  best  course  is  to  keep 
on,  and  escape  if  possible.  The  captain  of  that  steamer  wants  to 
speak  us  for  something  important.  He  is  a  suspicious  character, 
and  I  should  avoid  him." 


PREPARATIONS   FOR   A    FIGHT.  347 

I  saw  the  men  casting  uneasy  glances  at  the  steamer,  but  they 
nothing  which  denoted  they  felt  any  fear  of  an  encounter. 
My  band  was  small,  but  I  doubted  not  that  I  could  depend  upon  it ; 
and  I  thought  that,  if  matters  did  look  serious,  and  the  steamer 
forced  us  to  fight,  a  shot  from  our  midship  gun  might  do  such 
damage  that  pursuit  would  be  impossible. 

"  I  should  like  to  see  how  that  feller  would  stand  fire,"  the 
mate  said,  after  a  brief  inspection  of  the  sails  forward.  "  I  have 
heard  that  the  Spaniards  aia't  much  for  fighting,  but  I  don't  know 
anything  for  sartin.  Give  the  men  a'  glass  of  grog,  and  I'll  war- 
rant they'll  stand  a  broadside  and  never  flinch." 

"  Give  all  a  glass  of  grog,  and  tell  them  that  those  who  fear 
a  shot  can  go  under  hatches  when  the  time  arrives.  And  also 
inform  the>n  that  the  man  who  shows  least  fear  shall  have  a 
present  of  a  hundred  dollars." 

The  mate  went  forward  with  the  liquor,  and  told  the  men 
what  I  said ;  and  the  seamen  cheered  most  heartily  at  the  prop- 
osition. 

The  steamer  was  within  two  miles  of  us,  and  we  were  not  mov- 
ing through  the  water  faster  than  three  knots  an  hour.  I  glanced 
thoughtfully  at  the  gun  amidships,  but  concluded  to  let  it  remain 
undisturbed  until  it  was  necessary  to  use  it  as  a  last  resort. 

"Well,  sir,  what  are  we  to  do?  Fight,  or  let  'em  take  us?" 
asked  the  mate. 

"  They  will  not  take  us  without  a  fight,"  I  remarked,  "  evea 
if  I  have  to  battle  alone." 

"  You  shall  have  me  to  back  you,  sir,  as  old  Daddy  Groper 
said  to  the  whale  when  he  fell  overboard,  and  lighted  upon  the 
back  of  a  big  one.  Count  me  in  if  there  is  a  fight." 

"  Then  look  to  the  guns,  and  have  them  ready  for  use.  Pass 
the  muskets  up  from  the  store-room,  and  see  that  they  are  placed 
where  we  can  find  them  if  wanted." 

The  mate  sprang  forward  and  spoke  to  the  meu,  and  they  came 
tumbling  aft  with  a  will.  The  extra  lashings  were  cast  off  from 
the  small  guns,  and  they  were  loaded  with  grape  and  canister.  I 
undertook  the  care  of  Long  Tom,  and  saw  that  plenty  of  shot 
were  placed  in  a  tub  alongside  of  it,  and  that  the  cartridges  were 
handy.  Then  everything  was  covered  up  as  before,  and  no  signs 
of  warlike  preparations  were  visible, 

The  steamer  ranged  alongside,  taking  the  weather  gage,  and 


348  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

a  little  fellow,  with  a  sword  by  his  side  of  terrible  length,  hailed 
us  in  Spanish. 

"  What  schooner  is  that?  "  he  asked. 

I  told  him. 

"  Have  you  slaves  on  board?  "  was  the  next  question. 

"  Not  a  slave,"  was  my  answer. 

"  Well,  heave  to,  and  I  will  send  a  boat  on  board." 

A  cutter  arrived  alongside,  and  the  lieutenant,  who  had  charge 
of  the  boat,  came  on  deck.  He  was  a  tall,  bilious-looking  man, 
with  dark  face  and  eyes,  and  a  habit  of  twisting  his  mouth  as 
though  it  was  partly  paralyzed.  He  jerked  his  words  as  though 
tfcey  were  served  out  by  a  stingy  purser,  who  was  fearful  he  was 
not  making  money  enough  by  the  operation. 

As  the  officer  came  aft  I  bowed,  and  spoke  to  the  mate. 

"  Mr.  Prentice,"  I  said,  "  don't  let  that  boat's  crew  on  deck. 
Keep  them  in  the  cutter.  We  don't  want  them." 

"  Ay,  ay,  sir,"  was  the  answer.  "  Keep  in  the  boat,  you  black 
marines,  or  I'll  make  you  smell  brimstone,  by  the  salt  turkey  of 
Cape  Cod.  We  is  free  American  citizens,  and  ain't  used  to  being 
run  over  by  every  beggar  that  floats  on  the  sea." 

It  is  not  at  all  probable  that  the  Spaniards  knew  what  was  said, 
but  they  understood  the  gestures,  and  did  not  offer  to  stir  from  the 
boat.  The  officer  may  have  told  them  to  keep  quiet  while  he  was 
absent,  and  if  he  did  they  obeyed  without  trouble. 

"  Sir,"  said  the  lieutenant,  making  a  fearful  mouth,  "  I  want 
to  know  your  name." 

"  And  suppose  I  should  not  give  it,"  I  answered. 

The  look  which  the  officer  gave  me  was  most  astonishing. 

"  Do  you  know,"  he  said,  "  that  our  steamer  carries  guns  ?  " 

"  I  suppose  she  does,"  was  the  quiet  answer. 

The  lieutenant  was  astonished  for  the  second  time,  and  round 
and  round  went  his  mouth  as  though  searching  for  itself. 

'*  Who  are  you  ?  "  he  asked  at  length. 

"  The  master  of  this  vessel,"  was  my  answer. 

"  Have  you  the  daughter  of  Don  Ingracia,  of  San  Felipe,  on 
board  ?  "  was  the  next  blunt  question. 

"  There  is  a  lady  on  board,  and  she  is  the  daughter  of  the  man 
you  mention." 

"  I  want  her,  and  I  want  you.  Both  must  go  to  Havana,"  the 
officer  said. 


A   LITTLE   BLUFF.  349 

"For  what?" 

*'  For  abducting  the  lady,  and  for  killing  Captain  Martenello 
of  the  army,  last  night." 

u  I  did  not  abduct  the  lady,  and  I  did  kill  the  captain  ;  but  it 
was  in  self-defence,  and  I  should  do  it  again,  if  necessary  for  the 
preservation  of  my  life." 

"How?  Take  care.  Your  confessions  will  be  used  against 
you.  I  warn  you  on  that  point,"  the  Spaniard  said. 

"Where?"  I  asked. 

"  At  Havana." 

"  But  if  I  should  refuse  to  go,  what  then?" 

The  Spaniard  struggled  hard  to  keep  perfectly  cool,  but  the 
effort  was  a  failure.  His  mouth  revolved  like  a  grindstone  when 
in  motion,  and  it  was  a  long  time  before  he  could  speak. 

"  Diablo  !  "  he  shouted,  "  do  you  see  that  steamer?  " 

"  I  do." 

"  Do  you  know  that  .she  carries  ten  guns?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  Then  you  will  go  with  us,  and  without  further  words.  The 
boat  awaits  you  and  the  lady.  Both  must  go."  :  *'"•• 

I  smiled  at  the  man's  earnestness,  and  lighted  a  cigar.  I  of- 
fered my  visitor  one,  but  it  was  declined  with  a  stiff  bow. 

"  Senor,"  I  said,  "  I  am  an  American,  and  my  crew  are  all 
Americans.  I  am  bound  to  an  American  port,  and  have  regular 
clearance  papers." 

"  The  captain  general  has  no  respect  for  authority  excepting 
his  own.  We  were  despatched  with  instructions  to  bring  you  into 
port." 

"  I  shall  not  go."  I  answered,  firmly.  "  But  to  show  you  that 
the  lady  is  not  kept  on  board,  contrary  to  her  inclination,  I  will 
introduce  you  to  her,  and  you  can  ask  her  such  questions  as  you 
please." 

The  officer  looke.d  a  little  mollified  at  this,  and  intimated  that 
he  was  ready  to  speak  with  the  lady. 

Just  as  I  was  about  to  descend  the  companion-way,  the  mate 
whispered  to  me,  — 

"  The  United  States  frigate  Growler  is  off  our  weather  bow, 
and  standing  towards  us.  I  know  the  old  tub  well.  If  we  could 
get  the  skipper  to  stand  neutral,  we'll  whip  thunder  out  of'  the 
Spaniard  in  no  time." 


350  A  SLATER'S  ADVENTURES. 

I  was  glad  the  frigate  was  in  sight,  for  I  did  not  know  but 
I  could  claim  some  sort  of  protection  at  the  hands  of  the  cap- 
tain, who  had  consented  to  receive  my  gold  on  board,  and  who 
would  require  no  other  certificate  to  prove  that  I  was  an  Amer- 
ican. 

Gracia  arose  when  the  officer  entered  the  cabin,  and  would 
have  retired  to  her  state-room,  had  I  not  requested  her  to  remain. 

"  This  gentleman  has  a  few  questions  to  ask  you,"  I  said,  u  and 
I  pray  you  to  answer  them  as  you  please." 

"  Did  you  leave  your  father's  house  without  compulsion  ?  "  the 
officer  asked,  after  a  moment's  hesitation. 

u  I  certainly  did,"  was  the  answer. 

"  I  understand  from  your  father  that  you  were  forced  from 
home,"  the  officer  remarked. 

"  My  father  is  mistaken.  I  left  with  rny  intended  husband 
voluntarily." 

"  I  am  sorry  that  my  duty  is  such  a  disagreeable  one,  but  we 
have  the  express  orders  of  the  captain  general  to  return  with  you 
to  Havana.     Matters  may  be  settled  there  satisfactorily." 
*  Gracia  looked  the  alarm  she  felt,  and  cast  an  appealing  glance 
towards  me. 

"  Fear  nothing,"  I  said.  "  The  gentleman  will  not  resort  to 
force  to  carry  out  his  instructions,  and  if  he  does  he  will  be  met 
by  force." 

The  lieutenant  flushed,  and  smiled. 

"  You  would  not  dare  oppose  the  wishes  of  the  captain  of  the 
steamer,"  he  remarked. 

"  Let  him  attempt  to  carry  out  his  instructions,  and  he  shall 
see  what  I  dare  do,"  I  replied. 

u  In  the  name  of  the  saints,  do  nothing  rash  !  "  exclaimed  Gra- 
cia. "  Do  not  expose  yourself  to  danger,  Robert,  on  my  account. 
Let  me  return,  if  by  my  return  I  can  prevent  bloodshed." 

"  But  your  intended  must  also  go  with  us,"  the  officer  said. 

I  touched  a  bell,  and  the  steward  entered  the  cabin. 

u  Send  Mr.  Prentice  to  me,"  I  said. 

The  mate  promptly  made  his  appearance. 

"  Mr.  Prentice,"  I  said,  u  run  up  the  American  flag  at  the 
mainmast,  and  see  all  clear  for  action.  We  must  fight,  or  sur- 
render a  lady  who  trusts  in  our  courage  and  honesty." 

"  And  she  shan't  trust  in  vain,  by  the  sands  of  Cape  Cod.    We 


ALMOST   A  CONFLICT.  351 

can  fight  till  the  old  Growler  comes  up,  anyhow,  and  she'll  settle 
matters." 

The  officer  understood  enough  English  to  know  what  I  said. 
He  made  no  remark,  but  bowing  to  the  lady,  left  the  cabin. 

"  Francisco,"  I  said,  hurriedly,  "  conduct  Gracia  to  the  run, 
and  remain  with  her  until  this  matter  is  settled.  Remember  she 
must  not  be  exposed  to  danger." 

When  the  lieutenant  gained  the  deck,  he  turned  to  look  at  his 
steamer.  She  was  half  a  mile  to  windward,  for  the  Coquette 
had  been  edging  away  since  the  officer  was  on  board,  and  yet 
those  on  the  steamer  had  not  appeared  to  notice  it.  I  had  hinted 
to  the  mate  that  such  a  course  was  desirable,  to  get  out  of  range 
of  the  small  guns  which  she  carried,  and  which  could  be  brought 
to  bear  upon  us. 

"  Once  more  I  ask  you  to  go  with  me,"  said  the  lieutenant. 
"  It  will  be  best  for  you." 

I  shook  my  head,  and  pointed  to  the  guns  which  were  all  run 
out  and  ready  for  service.  The  officer's  mouth  revolved  several 
times  rapidly,  and  then  he  stepped  to  the  gangway. 

"  Tumble  up  here,  lads,"  he  said,  "  and  be  in  a  hurry  about  it." 

The  Spaniards  started  to  their  feet,  but  the  mate,  backed  by  the 
crew  of  the  Coquette,  rallied  at  a  signal,  with  boarding-pikes  in 
their  hands  and  revolvers  in  their  belts. 

u  The  man  who  leaves  the  boat  dies  !  "  I  shouted.  *'  No  one 
shall  set  foot  upon  this  deck  without  my  consent.  If  you  want  to 
fight,  you  will  find  us  ready.  Shoot  down  the  first  man  who 
moves  ;  "  and  as  I  spoke,  my  men  grasped  their  pikes  as  though 
anxious  for  the  fray,  while  the  lieutenant  drew  his  sword,  but  made 
no  attempt  to  use  it,  and  if  he  had,  a  pistol  ball  would  have  finished 
him  with  but  little  trouble. 

"  Call  off  your  men,"  the  Spaniard  said,  at  length,  finding  that 
it  was  useless,  with  his  present  force,  to  contend  with  me.  "  Call 
off  your  men.  I  will  leave,  and  report  to  the  captain." 

He  passed  over  the  side,  his  mouth  revolving,  and  his  black 
eyes  flashing.  I  bowed,  but  he  barely  returned  it.  He  leaped 
into  the  cutter,  and  shoved  off. 

"  We  shall  sink  you  at  the  first  broadside,"  he  said,  as  the 
cutter  passed  under  the  counter. 

"  But  I  shall  not  give  you  a  chance  to  do  that,"  I  answered ; 
and  the  Spanish  sailors  dipped  their  oars  into  the  water,  and 
pulled  towards  the  steamer. 


352  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

I  instantly  altered  the  course  of  the  schooner,  and  headed  st* 
that  we  could  speak  the  frigate,  which  was  about  five  miles  dis- 
tant, and  standing  towards  us. 

The  steamer  hoisted  the  cutter,  after  a  few  moments'  delibera- 
tion between  captain  and  lieutenant,  and  then  a  rush  of  black  smoke 
through  the  smoke-stack  told  us  that  the  Spaniard  was  after  us. 

"  I  wonder  if  the  old  dragon  will  fire  at  us?  "  the  mate  said  ; 
but  before  I  had  time  to  answer  the  question,  a  puff  of  smoke  as- 
cended from  the  bow  of  the  steamer,  and  a  dull  report  showed  that 
the  entertainment  had  commenced  in  earnest. 

The  shot  whistled  past  us,  and  struck  the  water  about  ten 
fathoms  ahead  of  us,  throwing  up  the  spray  like  a  fountain. 

44  That  means  hold  on  till  I  come  up,"  said  the  mate.  "  But 
we  are  somewhat  pressed  for  time,  and  I  think  that  he  will  ex- 
cuse us." 

44  The  lady,  sir,  wants  to  speak  to  you,"  said  the  second  mate, 
pointing  to  the  after  hatchway. 

I  stepped  to  the  cabin,  and  looked  down. 

"  O,  Robert,"  cried  Gracia,  who  was  hiding  in  the  run  to  es- 
cape as  much  danger  as  possible,  "  do  come  down  here,  and  stay 
with  me.  Let  the  men  do  the  fighting.  Just  oblige  me  this 
once." 

44  It  is  impossible,  Gracia.  I  must  remain  on  deck,  and  look 
after  the  vessel.  If  we  have  your  prayers  we  shall  be  safe." 

44  Just  like  my  wife,  sir,"  said  the  mate,  brushing  his  eyes. 
i4  Arter  we  were  married  she  wanted  me  to  stay  on  shore,  'cos  she 
knowed  there  was  danger  on  the  water.  But,  Lord,  I  jist  told 
her  it  didn't  matter  much  where  a  man  was,  if  he  only  had  his 
heart  right,  and  did  the  right  thing  by  every  one.  Ah,  there  goes 
that  bloody  Spaniard  agin." 

The  mate  was  right.  The  shot  struck  just  under  our  taffrail, 
and  sent  a  shower  of  spray  over  the  quarter-deck. 

"  Better  let  'em  have  some,  sir,"  the  mate  said.  44  We  can't 
stand  this  long,  you  know.  It  is  insulting,  and  nothing  else." 

44  We  will  receive  one  more  shot  and  answer  it,"  I  said ;  and 
the  mate  sprang  towards  the  Long  Tom,  to  clear  it  away  in  season 
for  the  returning  compliment. 

Hardly  had  Prentice  cast  off  the  breaching  of  the  midship  gun, 
when  a  third  shot  from  the  steamer's  bow  chaser  was  fired  ;  and 
the  ball  was  well  aimed,  for  it  passed  through  one  cloth  of  our 


A   RETURN   SHOT.  353 

mainsail,  plunged  through  the  foresail,  and  dropped  into  the  water 
fifty  fathoms  ahead. 

"  Let  her  rip,  sir?*'  asked  the  mate,  tearing  off  his  hat  and  vest 
in  his  excitement,  and  shaking  his  fist  at  the  steamer. 

u  If  we  stand  it  we  are  forever  disgraced,"  the  crew  shouted. 

"  We  will  give  them  as  good  as  they  send,"  I  replied,  stepping 
forward.  "  Slew  the  muzzle  of  the  gun  to  port ;  steady !  that  will 
do.  Now,  down  with  your  heim,"  I  said,  addressing  the  man  at 
the  wheel ;  and  as  the  wheel  went  down,  the  schooner  shot  into 
the  wind,  and  shook  her  sails. 

I  glanced  along  the  heavy  piece,  and  elevated  it  slightly  by  the 
turn  of  a  screw,  and  saw  that  I  could  pitch  a  shot  into  the  hull 
of  the  steamer  without  fail. 

"  Hard  up  with  your  helm,"  I  shouted ;  and  as  I  spoke  the 
schooner  shook  from  truck  to  keelson  with  the  recoil  of  the 
gun. 

The  men  watched  the  course  of  the  shot  with  eager  interest. 
It  struck  the  steamer  on  the  bow  port,  dismounted  the  gun  which 
had  been  supplying  us  with  ten  pound  shot  for  some  time  past, 
tore  along  the  deck,  knocking  down  half  a  dozen  men,  badly 
wounding  them,  and  at  last  travelled  through  the  poop,  and  then 
went  through  the  stern,  and  dropped  into  the  sea. 

"  Bully  for  us  !  "  shouted  the  men.  "  The  Spaniard  can't  stand 
that  long.  Give  him  another  one  before  he  has  time  to  think 
of  it." 

But  the  noise  of  our  guns  had  attracted  the  attention  of  the 
Growler  frigate.  The  captain  of  the  United  States  ship  was 
well  known  upon  the  Havana  station  at  the  time.  He  had  been 
in  service  when  he  began  to  cut  his  teeth,  had  fought  all  through 
the  war  of  1812  as  a  midshipman,  and  ascended  slowly,  step  by 
step,  to  have  command  of  a  large  frigate. 

Captain  Bluff  was  looking  at  the  schooner  and  steamer  at  the 
time  we  luffed  and  gave  the  Spaniard  a  taste  of  our  quality,  while 
the  firing  was  done  so  rapidly  that  it  commanded  the  admiration 
of  the  veteran. 

"  By  thunder !  "  he  shouted  to  the  officers  of  the  Growler,  who 
were  all  on  the  quarter-deck,  "  that  little  hop-o'-my-thumb  is  go- 
ing to  get  the  best  of  the  fight." 

"  The  schooner  has  the  a  American  flag  up  at  the  main,  sir," 
said  the  signal  midshipman,  touching  his  cap. 
23 


354 

"  The  devil  she  has !  I'm  afraid  I  shall  have  to  punish  him  by 
taking  him  in." 

The  steamer  had  fired  up  for  the  purpose  of  increasing  her 
speed,  so  that  she  could  drop  alongside  of  us  before  the  Growler 
could  come  within  hailing  distance  and  interfere.  The  Spaniard 
did  not  seem  disposed  to  fire  another  shot,  and  I  can't  say  I  was 
sorry  at  the  determination  ;  for  one  of  them  might  have  hit  me, 
and  I  was  not  desirous  of  such  an  honor. 

All  that  we  could  do  was  to  move  quietly  along  and  join  the 
American  frigate  as  soon  as  possible,  hoping  that  her  commander 
would  interfere  and  take  us  under  his  protection  ;  but  the  sight 
of  the  United  States  ship  spurred  the  Spaniard  to  renewed  exer- 
tions, and  a  desire  to  show  the  Yankees  that  a  little  schooner 
could  not  frighten  the  best  steamer  Spain  could  boast  of;  and 
when  I  was  about  to  call  Gracia  from  her  place  of  concealment, 
I  was  surprised  to  hear  a  gun,  and  a  shot  whistled  over  our  heads, 
in  a  direct  line  with  the  spars. 

"  The  Spaniard  is  at  it  again,"  said  the  mate.  "  Daruation  take 
him,  he  hasn't  got  a  bellyful  yet." 

Bang  went  another  gun  from  the  steamer,  and  the  shot  struck 
alongside,  and  threw  half  a  cask  of  water  upon  deck. 

"  Darn  all  of  my  wife's  relations  if  I  stand  it,"  muttered  the 
mate.  "  Let's  give  him  one,  just  for  the  honor  of  Cape  Cod." 

I  nodded,  and  the  Long  Tom  was  soon  in  position. 

"  Let  me  have  a  slap  at  him  this  time,"  Mr.  Prentice  said,  in 
a  beseeching  tone. 

"  All  right.     Fire  as  I  luff  up,"  I  said. 

The  schooner's  head  was  poked  into  the  wind,  and  the  mate 
glanced  along  the  piece  and  fired.  The  ball  struck  the  steamer's 
foremast,  sent  a  shower  of  splinters  about  the  deck,  and  then  tore 
away  three  of  the  shrouds  of  the  main  rigging  on  the  starboard 
side. 

"  I've  just  got  his  distance,"  said  the  mate.  "Let  me  crack 
at  him  once  more,  and  I'll  do  better." 

But  further  proceedings  were  suspended  by  the  action  of  the 
Growler  ;  for  that  ship  suddenly  hauled  up  foresail  and  mainsail, 
as  though  going  into  action,  and  pitched  a  shot  just  ahead  of  our 
forefoot,  and  served  the  Spaniard  the  same  way. 

"  That  means,  Heave  to  until  I  have  investigated  matters,"  I 
said ;  and  as  the  Growler  could  have  sunk  the  Spaniard  and  the 


THE   U.    S.   FRIGATE.  355 

schooner  also  with  half  a  broadside,  I  concluded  to  comply  with 
the  request,  and  the  steamer  did  the  same. 

The  frigate  ran  in  between  us,  and  backed  her  main-topsail ; 
and  then  Captain  Bluff,  his  face  glowing  like  the  setting  sun,  put 
his  speaking  trumpet  to  his  mouth. 

"  What  in  the  devil  is  the  meaning  of  all  this?  "  Captain  Bluff 
asked,  hailing  the  Coquette  first,  on  account  of  the  flag,  which  she 
carried. 

Before  I  could  reply,  the  Spanish  captain,  who  began  to  think 
that  I  should  have  too  good  a  story  all  to  myself,  yelled  out  in 
Spanish,  — 

u  He's  a  pirate,  and  has  on  board  the  daughter  of  one  of  the 
richest  men  of  Cuba." 

"  Well,  you  wouldn't  have  him  take  the  daughter  of  the  poorest 
man  —  would  you  ?  "  was  thundered  back,  and  a  hoarse  laugh  went 
with  the  words. 

"  Well,  I  s'pose  I'll  have  to  look  into  this  matter,  Harvey,"  the 
captain  said  to  his  first  lieutenant. 

"  It  is  decidedly  your  duty  to  fiud  out  what  is  wrong,  sir ;  and 
the  best  way  to  accomplish  the  purpose  is  to  send  the  first  cutter 
on  board  the  schooner,  and  take  charge  of  her  for  the  present, 
and  request  the  master  of  her  to  pay  us  a  visit  with  his  papers. 
The  captain  of  the  Spaniard  can  also  be  invited  to  come  on 
board." 

u  That's  a  good  idea,  Harvey,  and  I'll  act  oil  it,  and  play  the 
part  of  judge  to  perfection.  I  don't  know  but  little  about  law, 
but  I'm  some  on  justice." 

On  board  I  went,  with  Gracia  to  keep  me  company. 

The  captain's  cabin  on  board  of  the  Growler  was  rather  a  com- 
fortable sort  of  a  place,  being  a  large,  square  room,  with  easy 
chairs,  which  were  lashed  to  the  deck  to  prevent  them  from 
making  short  trips  when  the  frigate  rolled  heavily ;  a  lounge 
covered  with  morocco,  and  looking  as  though  it  had  been  used 
during  the  voyage  for  afternoon  naps  ;  several  engravings  of  naval 
battles,  and  in  all  of  them  the  American  flag  was  prominent  as 
the  successful  one ;  one  or  two  portraits  of  distinguished  opera 
dancers  in  very  slight  clothing,  and  very  large  legs  and  terribly 
small  waists ;  a  table  covered  with  papers  and  books  ;  and  hap- 
pening to  cast  my  eyes  upon  the  title  of  one  of  the  latter,  I  saw 
that  it  read  "  History  of  Prize  Fighting,"  and  I  knew  that  the 


356  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

captain  was  an  admirer  of  the  ring  from  his  build,  while  men 
of  his  stamp  generally  like  fair  play  in  business  as  well  as  in 
fighting.  Into  this  apartment  did  the  captain  conduct  and  wel- 
come us. 

"  Here  we  are,"  he  said,  "  as  snug  as  at  the  best  hotel  in  New 
York,  and  no  one  to  disturb  us.  Here  we  will  hold  a  council  of 
war,  and  will  decide  what  is  to  be  done.  Let  the  lady  be  seated, 
and  make  herself  at  home.  I  wish  that  my  old  woman  was  here 
just  to  keep  her  company  for  a  while  ;  though,  as  a  general  thing, 
I  don't  think  much  of  having  women  on  shipboard." 

"  Suppose  we  proceed  to  business,  senor,"  the  Spanish  captain, 
whose  name  was  Morello,  said,  with  a  sigh  of  impatience. 

The  captain  stepped  to  the  door,  and  said,  — 

u  Sentry,  pass  the  word  for  the  steward." 

"  Pass  the  word  for  the  captain's  steward,"  was  yelled  fore  and 
aft,  and  in  a  moment  that  individual  entered  the  cabin. 

u  Brandy  and  water,  a  bottle  of  champagne  and  cigars,  and  be 
lively  about  it,"  were  the  orders  which  Captain  Bluff  bestowed ; 
and  as  the  liquors  were  kept  as  convenient  as  anything  in  the 
ship,  they  were  on  the  table  in  short  order. 

"  Now  go  ;  "  and  in  obedience  to  the  order,  the  steward  van- 
ished. 

"  Here's  some  good  wine,  Mr.  Robert.  I  hope  the  lady  will 
honor  me  by  taking  a  glass.  But  we  will  stick  to  something 
substantial,  and  take  brandy.  Now,"  cried  Bluff,  "  I  feel  like 
business.  Let  us  heave  ahead,  and  see  how  the  land  lays,  and 
perhaps  we  can  settle  this  matter  before  the  bottles  become 
marines.  Who  speaks  first?  I'll  listen  and  throw  in  a  word  or 
two." 

The  Spaniard  waved  his  hand  for  me  to  proceed  ;  but  I  wanted 
the  closing  argument,  as  the  landsharks  say,  and  declined. 

"  About  ten  o'clock  this  morning,"  said  the  Spanish  captain, 
44  I  received  an  order  to  fire  up,  and  then  come  to  the  palace,  and 
have  an  interview  with  the  captain  general.  I  gave  directions  to 
be  all  ready  to  get  under  way,  and  went  to  learn  the  commands 
of  his  excellency.  At  the  palace  I  saw  this  lady's  father,  Don 
Ingracia,  who  had  rode  all  the  way  from  San  Filipe  to  give  in- 
formation of  the  abduction  of  his  daughter,  and  of  the  murder  of 
Captain  Martenello  by  an  American.  The  Don  stated  that  he 
had  learned  that  the  senor  would  embark  on  board  of  a  slaver, 


CAPTAIN  BLUFF  SPEAKS.  357 

and  either  start  for  Africa  or  the  United  States,  and  offered  a  re- 
ward of  ten  thousand  dollars  for  the  return  of  his  daughter,  and 
the  apprehension  of  the  American.  I  received  the  orders  of  the 
captain  general  to  proceed  in  search  of  the  slaver,  and  to  bring 
her  and  crew  to  Havana  at  all  hazards.  I  got  Bunder  way  with- 
out delay,  and  here  I  am." 

Gracia  put  her  arms  around  my  own,  and  pressed  her  face 
close  to  mine,  as  she  exclaimed,  — 

"  O,  senor,  he  did  not  kill  the  captain  until  he  was  compelled 
to,  or  be  killed  himself.  I  saw  the  whole  of  the  transaction.  I 
saw  Captain  Martenello  plunge  a  knife  into  the  heart  of  a  faithful 
slave,  and  then  turn  the  weapon  upon  my  intended  husband.  He 
is  innocent  of  crime." 

"  Blow  me,  if  this  isn't  the  best  thing  I  ever  heard  of.  My 
eyes  begin  to  pump  salt  water,  and  I  can't  stand  much  more,  or  I 
shall  go  by  the  board,"  muttered  the  captain. 

"  It  is  a  trick  concocted  between  them,"  cried  the  Spaniard. 
"  If  he  is  innocent,  as  she  says  that  he  is,  let  them  return  to  Ha- 
vana and  prove  it.  We  have  justice  in  our  courts,  and  the 
American  can  have  a  fair  trial."  j,.r  . 

"  There's  some  sense  in  that,"  Captain  Bluff  muttered. 

"  Then  let  the  schooner,  and  senor  and  lady,  return  with  me  to 
Havana.  Only  on  such  conditions  can  I  talk.  Go  they  must," 
cried  the  Spaniard. 

"  That  word  must  not  be  used  on  board  of  the  Growler,"  Cap- 
tain Bluff  said,  with  more  dignity  than  he  had  yet  displayed.  "  I 
take  it  that  I  have  the  power  to  enforce  obedience  to  my  wishes, 
and  as  long  as  I  command  a  frigate  I  shall  act  as  I  think  best 
for  the  interests  of  my  country." 

"  Then  relieve  me  of  the  bad  predicament  in  which  I  am 
placed,"  said  the  Spanish  captain,  who  saw  the  weak  side  of 
Captain  Bluff,  and  took  his  measures  accordingly.  "You  are 
stronger  than  I  am,  and  can  do  as  you  please.  Yet  you  know 
that  if  I  return  to  port  without  the  schooner  I  shall  be  degraded 
and  lose  my  command.  Think  how  that  would  affect  you  if 
placed  in  my  position." 

"  That's  true,"  grunted  Captain  Bluff. 

"  The  schooner,  you  will  recollect,  has  Spanish  papers,  and 
therefore  United  States  ships  have  no  right  to  interfere  with 
what  does  not  concern  them." 


358 

44  That's  also  true,"  Captain  Bluff  said  ;  "  but  recollect  that  an 
American  has  chartered  her,  and  as  an  American  he  is  entitled 
to  protection  just  as  much'  as  though  the  gridiron  was  hoisted  at 
the  peak,  and  the  schooner  was  authorized  to  bear  it.'* 

44  I  know  thai  such  is  the  practice  ;  but  when  an  American 
has  committed  an  act  of  piracy,  he  places  himself  beyond  the  pale 
of  protection,"  the  Spaniard  insinuated. 

4:  But  you  have  first  to  prove  it.  We  don't  convict  men  in  our 
country  without  evidence." 

"  And  in  Cuba  the  same.  Now,  as  a  gentleman,  I  am  only 
anxious  to  do  my  duty,  and  make  a  good  report  of  my  trip.  No 
harm  would  happen  to  the  lady  and  her  lover  if  they  returned 
with  me.  There  would  be  an  examination  —  a  slight  one  —  and  a 
discharge." 

"  That's  fair  and  handsome,  I  must  say,"  Captain  Bluff  replied, 
after  a  moment's  thought. 

44  If  my  father  would  but  pardon  us,  I  should  like  to  return," 
Gracia  said. 

"Then  what  is  to  prevent  you  from  doing  so?"  Captain  Bluff 
asked. 

44  The  fact  that  I  should  be  sacrified  without  mercy,"  I  replied. 

44  O,  how  the  senor  misjudges  us !  "  cried  the  Spaniard,  with  a 
sardonic  grin.  "  We  have  no  desire  to  injure  him  because  he 
eloped  with  a  beautiful  lady.  That  is  human  nature.  All  that 
it  is  necessary  for  him  to  prove  is,  that  she  went  with  him  will- 
ingly." 

44  I  see  nothing  unfair  in  that,"  mused  the  captain. 

"  On  condition  that  the  frigate  returns  to  Havana,  I  will  go," 
I  remarked,  seeing  that  the  Spaniard  had  completely  blinded  the 
captain,  and  made  the  issue  one  of  professional  honor.  "  I  ask 
that  she  shall  remain  in  the  harbor  until  my  case  is  settled,  and 
that  every  effort  shall  be  made  to  obtain  a  speedy  settlement  of 
my  difficulties." 

44  Of  course,  that  is  all  right  and  fair.  They. shan't  gouge  you 
a  darned  bit,  if  I  can  help  it,"  Captain  Bluff  growled. 

The  Spaniard  did  not  look  good-natured  at  this  information. 

44 1  also  ask  that  both  of  you  will  pledge  your  words  that  I 
shall  remain  at  liberty,  and  that  no  attempt  shall  be  made  to  im- 
prison me  during  the  progress  of  examination." 

44  O,  of  course  we  concede  that,"  the  Spaniard  remarked,  with  a 
bland  smile,  which  I  put  no  faith  in. 


A   PROPOSITION.  359 

"  I  pledge  my  word  for  your  safety,"  Captain  Bluff  cried. 

"  And  I  also  demand  that  I  shall  return  to  Havana  in  my  own 
vessel,  and  that  the  lady  accompany  me." 

"  O,  we  can't  listen  to  any  such  proposition  as  that,"  the  Span- 
iard said. 

"  O,  pray  don't  separate  us,"  Gracia  cried,  with  tears  in  her 
eyes.  , 

"  In  my  opinion  they  won't  do  much  harm  if  they  are  left  to- 
gether," the  American  captain  remarked,  with  a  chuckle.  "  Let 
them  return  on  board  of  the  schooner,  and  enjoy  as  much  happi- 
ness as  they  can." 

*'  But  they  may  escape,"  urged  the  Spaniard. 

"  No  danger  of  it.  He  will  pledge  his  word  that  he  will  not. 
I  know  he  will  stick  to  his  word." 

The  Spaniard  shook  his  head. 

"  It  would  be  better  for  them  if  they  took  up  their  quarters  on 
board  of  the  steamer.  We  can  reach  Havana  during  the  night, 
and  perhaps  they  will  be  discharged  in  the  morning." 

I  vowed  I  would  not  do  that  unless  I  was  sent  on  board  by 
force ;  but  I  promised  that,  if  left  alone,  I  would  do  what  I  could 
to  accommodate  all  parties. 

After  much  talk  and  many  arguments  on  the  part  of  the  Span- 
iard, Captain  Bluff  settled  that  he  would  leave  Lieutenant  Nowell 
on  board  the  schooner,  together  with  half  a  dozen  men ;  so  that, 
virtually,  I  was  to  be  a  prisoner. 

"  Now,  Mr.  Robert,  if  you  wish  to  return  to  your  own  craft, 
I'll  have  one  of  the  cutters  manned  for  you,"  Captain  Bluff  said, 
after  conferring  apart  with  the  Spanish  captain  a  few  minutes. 

I  bowed  my  thanks,  and  the  captain  gave  the  oriier  to  Mr. 
Harvey,  the  lieutenant,  and  the  latter  to  a  midshipman,  and  the 
latter  to  a  boatswain's  mate  ;  and  the  latter  put  his  silver  call  to 
his -lips,  and  whistled  long  and  shrill,  and  then  shouted,  — 

"  Away,  you  first  cutter  men  !     Away,  boys,  away  !  " 

"  I  am  sorry  that  matters  have  not  terminated  satisfactorily  to 
you  and  the  lady,"  whispered  the  first  lieutenant,  while  I  was 
waiting  for  the  manning  of  the  cutter.  "  If  I  had  my  say,  the 
Spaniard  would  go  home  with  a  flea  in  his  ear." 

I  thanked  him,  and  we  shook  hands  most  heartily,  and  even  a 
friendlv  smile  mantled  the  face  of  Gracia. 

"  The  boat  'is  ready,  sir,"  said  the  midshipman  who  brought 
me  on  board. 


360  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

u  We  shall  meet  again  at  Havana,  I  trust,"  said  the  lieutenant, 
"  and  I  hope  to  see  you  spliced  on  the  quarter-deck  of  the  Growler. 
We  have  a  chaplain  who  can  do  the  business  up  quick  and  strong. 
He  says  that  he  can  tie  a  knot  we  can't  untie  with  our  teeth,  and 
I  think  that  he  is  right.  Well,  good  by,  and  take  care  of  your- 
selves." 

We  entered  the  boat  and  pulled  for  the  Coquette,  which  was 
not  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  mile  distant,  hove  to,  waiting  for  the 
result  of  the  negotiations.  As  we  neared  the  schooner,  Mr.  Pren- 
tice shouted,  — 

"  What's  the  result?" 

"  Bad  enough,"  I  answered. 

"  Are  we  to  fight  the  Spaniard?  " 

"  No." 

"  What  then?" 

"  Why,  we  have  nothing  to  do  but  to  return  to  Havana." 

*«  Is  that  the  decision  of  the  skipper  of  the  Growler?  "Mr. 
Prentice  asked. 

I  said  that  it  was. 

"  Then  he's  a  bigger  blasted  fool  than  I  thought  he  was," 
was  the  exclamation ;  which  pleased  the  midshipman  so  much 
that  after  vainly  endeavoring  to  keep  his  countenance,  he  was 
forced  to  laugh  as  loud  as  he  dared  to  without  being  rebuked  by 
his  officer,  who  assisted  Gracia  to  the  deck,  and  then  read  a  letter 
of  instructions  which  the  middy  handed  him. 

"  I  am  glad  of  one  thing,"  said  Mr.  No  well.  "  I  find  that  I  am 
to  remain  on  board  and  proceed  with  you  to  Havana.  Do  not 
look  upon  me  as  in  command,  for  I  am  not.  I  am  a  passenger, 
but  as  such  I  hope  to  render  you  some  service  before  many  days." 

We  filled  away  and  stood  after  the  frigate,  while  the  steamer 
hovered  near  us,  as  though  fearful  we  should  attempt  to  escape. 


THE  RETURN  TO  HAVANA.  361 


CHAPTER  XVIEI. 

WE  RETURN  TO  HAVANA. — THE   ARREST.  —  COMFORTABLE   QUAR- 
TERS.—  IMPORTANT  QUESTIONS. — HOW  IT   ENDED,  ETC.,  ETC. 

ABOUT  six  bells  the  next  morning  I  went  on  deck,  where  I 
found  No  well.  It  was  a  fine  morning.  We  were  off  the  harbor 
of  Havana,  with  Moro  Castle  just  in  sight,  and  the  high  lands  of 
Cuba,  carpeted  with  green,  which  caught  the  rising  sun,  and 
covered  as  they  were  with  the  night's  dew,  sparkled  as  though 
some  genii  had  scattered  gems  upon  the  sward  for  the  purpose  of 
tempting  mankind  to  regret  quitting  such  a  paradise.  A  light 
breeze  was  blowing,  just  enough  to  ripple  the  water  and  fill  our 
sails. 

Some  three  miles  astern  of  us  was  the  Growler,  coming  up  with 
everything  spread  to  catch  the  morning  breeze,  and  in  shore  of  us 
was  the  steamer,  creeping  along  slowly,  not  evidently  anxious  to 
reach  the  port  first. 

I  thought  that  I  would  be  prepared  for  the  worst,  for  I  knew 
that  if  arrested  I  should  be  searched,  and  then  farewell  to  ever 
again  seeing  the  diamonds  which  I  had  around  my  waist.  They 
would  prove  such  a  prize,  that  but  few  Spaniards  could  resist 
the  temptation  of  appropriating  them,  and  this  I  wanted  to  de- 
feat. I  hardly  knew  whom  to  trust  with  them.  If  I  could  have 
been  certain  that  Mr.  Prentice  was  not  to  be  molested,  I  should 
have  confided  the  stones  to  his  care,  with  a  fnll  assurance  that 
they  would  have  been  forthcoming  when  I  asked  for  them.  But 
after  a  slight  deliberation  I  concluded  to  intrust  the  casket,  and 
what  it  contained  when  found  on  board  of  the  Virgin,  to  Mr. 
Nowell,  the  third  lieutenant,  well  knowing  that  the  Spaniards 
would  not  dare  to  molest  him  as  long  as  he  wore  the  uniform  of 
the  United  States  navy. 

I  hastily  covered  the  casket  with  sail-cloth,  secured  it  with  seal- 
ing-wax, and  then  called  Nowell  into  the  cabin. 

"  I  am  about,"  I  said,  in  the  presence  of  the  mate,  "  to  confide 
to  you  a  valuable  package,  if  you  will  take  charge  of  it  until  I  get 


362  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

through  with  my  troubles.  It  is  something  I  would  not  ask  of 
every  one,  for  there  is  in  the  package  much  to  tempt  any  man." 

"  It  might  contain  rubies  and  diamonds  for  all  that  I  should 
care,"  the  lieutenant  said.  "  When  you  want  it,  just  say  the  word, 
and  it  shall  be  forthcoming." 

He  put  the  casket  in  his  bosom,  and  then  we  went  on  deck  to 
attend  to  anchoring  the  schooner,  and  to  find  a  good  berth,  which 
was  not  difficult  to  do,  as  shipping  was  rather  scarce. 

As  we  glided  along  under  easy  sail,  I  observed  that  the  captain 
of  the  port's  barge,  filled  with  soldiers,  left  the  shore,  and  pulled 
leisurely  towards  the  steamer,  which  was  anchored  in  that  por- 
tion of  the  harbor  where  men-of-war  congregate. 

Francisco,  who  had  refused  to  quit  his  state-room  after  he 
found  we  were  ordered  to  Havana,  such  was  his  distress,  at  this 
moment  came  on  deck  and  caught  sight  of  the  barge. 

"  Diablo  I "  he  said,  "  it  is  intended  for  us,  I'll  bet  a  real.  If 
they  take  me  L can't  assist  you.  What  shall  I  do?  I  want  to 
communicate  with  our  house  as  soon  as  possible." 

"  Have  you  any  objections  to  serving  Uucle  Sam  for  a  short 
time?"  Mr.  No  well  asked. 

"  Not  the  slightest,  if  it  will  benefit  me,"  was  the  answer. 

"  Then  don  this  coat,  and  button  it  around  you.  The  last  boat 
from  the  frigate  brought  me  a  spare  one,  and  a  cap,  in  case  we 
should  have  a  shower  during  the  night.  There,  that  improves 
you  wonderfully,  and  if  you  don't  talk  they  will  never  know  but 
you  eat  Uncle  Sam's  bread  and  drink  his  rum ;  and  let  me  tell  you 
that  many  a  worse  looking  fellow  does.  You  are  rather  dark, 
but  keep  the  cap  jammed  over  your  eyes,  and  it  will  pass  for  tan." 

By  the  time  that  Francisco  was  transformed  into  an  American 
officer,  the  boat  had  stopped  for  a  moment  alongside  of  the  steamer, 
received  some  directions,  and  then  pulled  direct  for  the  schooner. 
A  few  vigorous  strokes  of  the  oars  and  the  barge  was  alongside, 
and  the  captain  of  the  port,  followed  by  a  dozen  soldiers,  leaped 
on  deck. 

"  Who  is  the  master  of  this  vessel?  "  he  asked,  looking  as  fierce 
as  a  bandit. 

I  recollected  that  I  had  dined,  in  company  with  the  official,  at 
Don  Riejo's  house  only  a  few  days  before,  but  I  hardly  thought 
that  he  would  recollect  me. 

"  I  command  the  schooner,"  I  said,  stepping  forward. 


THE  CAPTAIN  OF  THE  PORT.  363 

The  captain  looked  fierce  for  a  moment,  then  surprised,  and 
then  grieved. 

"  Caramba !  "  he  muttered  ;  "  who  in  the  devil's  name  expected 
to  see  you  here  ?  " 

"  I  am  here  because  I  was  sent  for  by  yonder  steamer,"  I  replied. 

"Yes;  but,  didblo !  I  didn't  think  that  it  was  you.  Why 
couldn't  you  have  sent  me  word,  and  then  all  this  trouble  would 
not  have  occurred  ?  Thunder !  I  have  not  forgotten  how  you 
served  those  English  dogs,  who  are  continually  attempting  to 
break  up  the  slave  trade.  There  must  be  some  misunderstanding." 

"  You  would  not  have  thought  so,  if  you  could  have  seen  the 
Furious  firing  at  us  yesterday  afternoon,"  I  replied. 

"  For  which  service  you  retaliated  most  effectually,"  cried  the 
captain  of  the  port.  "  But  Captain  Morrello  was  always  a  fool, 
and  will  remain  one  until  death.  He  might  have  avoided  all  dan- 
ger by  not  seeing  you.  That  is  the  way  that  I  should  have  done." 

I  could  hardly  avoid  laughing  in  his  face  at  his  method  of 
avoiding  duty. 

"  But  what  is  to  be  done  with  me  ?  "  I  asked,  more  concerned 
on  my  own  account  than  I  was  to  listen  to  apologies. 

"  Ah,  that  is  the  worst  part  of  my  duty.  Captain  Morrello 
dropped  anchor  half  an  hour  since,  and  immediately  proceeded 
to  make  his  report  to  the  captain  general.  He  represented  you 
as  a  monster  pirate,  and  everything  that  is  bad,  and  told  of  the 
men  you  had  wounded.  The  captain  general  is  furious.  He 
ordered  me  to  arrest  you  for  the  murder  of  Captain  Martenello, 
—  as  big  a  rascal  as  ever  went  unhanged,  and  I  am  glad  that  he  is 
dead,  —  and  for  abducting  Donna  Gracia ;  both  complaints  of  Don 
Ingracia,  who  is  in  town,  and  swears  that  he  has  been  most 
frightfully  imposed  upon.  I  have  the  warrant  in  my  pocket,  and 
what  am  I  to  do?" 

"  You  must  do  your  duty,  I  suppose,"  I  said. 

"  I  am  sorry  to  say  that  unless  I  do,  my  office  is  not  worth  a 
beggar's  curse.  Things  can  be  explained,  I  hope,  in  a  few  days, 
but  I  am  somewhat  doubtful.  At  any  rate,  I  am  your  friend,  and 
will  do  what  I  can  for  you." 

"  And  thte  lady,"  I  asked ;  "  have  you  any  order  respecting 
her?" 

"  She  must  go  with  me  on  shore.  I  am  sorry  that  I  cannot 
allow  you  to  be  together ;  but  the  fact  is,  you  must  take  apart- 


364  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

merits  at  Moro  Castle  ;  the  lady  joins  her  father,  who  is  stopping 
at  his  city  residence." 

This  was  sad  news,  but  I  endeavored  to  keep  my  spirits  up, 
and  not  show  how  bad  I  really  felt. 

"  Well,  what  is  to  be  done  ?  "  asked  the  lieutenant,  stepping 
forward. 

I  explained  to  him. 

"  I'll  be  cussed  if  I  don't  protest  against  it.  Let  the  Growler 
arrive,  and  see  what  the  old  man  says." 

"  I  am  sorry  to  say  that  I  can't  wait,  for  I  was  expressly  in- 
structed to  hurry  my  movements,  so  that  my  prisoner  should  be 
at  the  Castle  before  the  frigate  dropped  anchor." 

"  Well,  this  is  a  pretty  state  of  society,"  muttered  Nowell.  "  If 
I  had  known  that  we  were  to  be  treated  in  such  a  manner,  I  would 
have  kept  out  of  the  harbor  until  the  frigate  arrived.  But  I'll 
board  her,  and  let  the  old  man  know  what  has  happened,  just  as 
soon  as  she  drops  anchor." 

"  Have  you  any  authority  to  act  relative  to  the  schooner  and 
crew  ?  "  I  asked  of  the  captain  of  the  port. 

"  Not  at  all.     The  schooner  is  free,  and  so  are  the  crew." 

"  In  one  moment  I  will  be  ready,"  I  said. 

I  entered  the  cabin,  and  found  Gracia  in  tears.  She  had  over- 
heard our  conference,  and  the  thought  of  being  separated  from 
me  was  more  than  she  could  endure  without  weeping. 

44  Gracia,"  I  said,  "  we  must  part,  but  I  trust  that  it  will  be 
only  for  a  few  days.  Will  you  remain  true  to  me  until  I  am  re- 
leased from  prison,  or  until  my  fate  is  decided  ?  " 

She  threw  herself  into  my  arms,  and  clasped  me  around  the 
neck  as  though  determined  never  to  quit  her  hold. 

"  Ay,  for  years,  for  I  solemnly  swear  I  will  never  marry  unless 
you  ask  my  hand.  I  call  the  saints  to  witness  my  oath,  and  how 
sincere  it  is.  If  you  need  that  to  console  you  during  your  im- 
prisonment, you  have  it,  and  my  prayers  shall  go  with  you.  And 
now  one  kiss  until  we  meet  again." 

Our  lips  met,  and  then  with  a  sigh  Gracia  lay  motionless  in 
my  arms.  Her  feelings  had  overpowered  her,  and  she  had  fainted. 
I  laid  her  gently  upon  a  lounge,  bathed  her  head  with  water,  and 
lingered  near  her  until  her  senses  returned  ;  and  then  calling  Fran- 
cisco, left  her  in  his  charge  until  the  captain  of  the  port  should 
return  to  the  schooner,  and  remove  her  to  the  shore. 


AT  THE   FORT.  365 

"  My  friend,"  I  said,  "  when  she  leaves  for  the  shore,  find  out 
where  she  goes,  and  keep  track  of  all  her  movements,  so  that  I 
can  communicate  with  her  if  it  be  possible.  You  will  do  this  for 
me,  I  know." 

*'  I  swear  it,"  he  said,  earnestly. 

"  You  will  also  give  to  your  firm  au  exact  account  of  what  has 
transpired,  and  ask  them  to  adopt  such  a  course  as  they  may  think 
fit  for  my  liberation." 

"  In  less  than  an  hour  I  will  see  the  head  of  the  house." 

"  I  am  just  half  an  hour  behind  time,  but  if  the  captain  general 
don't  like  it,  he  may  do  the  next  thing,"  growled  the  captain  of 
the  port,  as  he  seated  himself  by  my  side,  and  the  barge  was 
shoved  off. 

"  I'll  take  darned  good  care  of  the  schooner,  and  everything  on 
board,"  shouted  Mr.  Prentice.  "  We'll  have  you  back  in  a  few 
days,  or  the  old  Growler  will  do  some  talking,  I  reckon." 

The  long  strokes  of  the  boatmen  soon  carried  us  beyond  hear- 
ing, and  almost  before  I  had  awakened  from  the  reverie  into 
which  I  had  fallen,  the  barge  was  at  the  Castle  stairs.  Here  we 
met  with  another  guard  of  soldiers,  all  drawn  up  as  though  ex- 
pecting to  strike  terror  to  the  heart  of  their  prisoner. 

"  What  are  these  soldiers  for  ?  "  I  asked  of  my  companion. 

"  O,"  he  answered,  with  a  blush,  "  we  thought  that  we  might 
have  some  trouble  with  you  after  landing,  and  so  I  supposed  that 
it  was  best  to  be  ready.  I  did  not  know  who  I  had  to  arrest.  But 
I  will  get  rid  of  them  at  once." 

The  captain  was  as  good  as  his  word,  for  the  sulky-looking 
Spanish  soldiers  filed  off  and  entered  the  fort,  and  we  followed 
after  them. 

u  I  am  going  to  be  quite  liberal  towards  you,"  the  captain  said. 
"  I  am  going  to  have  you  confined  in  a  nice  chamber  inside  the 
fort,  and  everything  that  you  need  shall  be  supplied  ;  so  don't  be 
fearful  of  asking  for  what  you  require.  Here  we  are,  close  upon 
the  sentinel." 

"  Who  comes?"  cried  the  soldier,  throwing  his  musket  into  the 
hollow  of  his  arm,  as  though  he  might  be  called  upon  to  use  it. 

"  Amigos  /  "  yelled  the  captain. 

"  Advance,  friends,  and  give  the  pass,"  was  the  response. 

"  Havana,"  the  captain  said  ;  and  as  that  was  correct,  we  passed 


866 

on  through  the  ponderous  iron  gates,  which  required  a  dozen  men 
to  turn  them  upon  their  hinges. 

We  entered  an  office  where  I  was  introduced  to  the  officer  of 
the  guard,  who  very  kindly  had  me  stripped  and  searched,  and 
what  money  I  had  was  taken  from  me,  even  my  watch.  The 
captain  stood  by  during  the  operation,  and  when  it  was  con- 
cluded, took  his  leave,  declaring  that  he  would  see  me  in  the 
course  of  the  day,  and  let  me  know  what  my  friends  were  doing 
in  my  behalf. 

The  officer  in  whose  cjiarge  I  was  left  conducted  me  along  a 
corridor  until  we  reached  the  end,  when  he  unlocked  a  door,  and 
entered  an  apartment  that  was  large  and  well  lighted ;  but  the 
light,  alas !  came  through  heavily-grated  windows,  and  the  latter 
were  some  eight  feet  from  the  floor,  so  that  prisoners  could  not 
look  out  unless  by  a  powerful  muscular  effort  they  were  enabled 
to  swing  their  bodies  upon  a  level  with  the  windows,  and  hold  on 
by  their  hands  while  they  gazed. 

In  one  corner  of  the  room  was  a  bedstead  of  small  size,  but 
secured  to  the  floor  by  bolts,  so  that  it  could  not  be  moved  and 
used  as  a  standing-place  by  any  one  desirous  of  looking  beyond 
the  walls  of  the  prison.  A  wash-bowl  and  pitcher  and  two  chairs 
completed  the  furniture  of  the  room. 

"  This  is  the  best  apartment  for  prisoners  in  the  fort,"  my 
conductor  said.  "  If  you  could  see  some  that  are  occupied,  you 
would  call  this  a  parlor." 

I  had  no  doubt  of  that. 

"  Of  course  you  drink  wine  and  smoke." 

I  said,  "  Of  course." 

He  closed  the  door,  and  was  gone.  For  a  while  I  paced  up  and 
down  the  apartment,  as  miserable  a  man  as  it  would  have  been 
possible  to  find  in  all  Cuba,  and  I  was  about  to  throw  myself  upon 
the  bed,  and  seek  forgetfulness  in  sleep,  when  I  heard  a  key  in- 
serted in  the  lock,  and  the  door  was  opened. 

In  solemn  silence  in  walked  two  huge  negroes,  blacker  than  the 
thickest  coal  tar  that  I  ever  saw,  and  each  of  them  bore  trays 
loaded  with  refreshments,  such  as  wine,  and  fruit,  and  delicate 
cake,  and  a  box  of  choice  cigars. 

The  officer  who  had  shown  me  to  the  apartment  accompanied 
the  colored  men,  and  saw  that  the  refreshments  were  placed  upon 
the  table,  and  arranged  in  the  most  tempting  manner.  Then  the 


BEFORE  THE  CAPTAIN  GENERAL.  367 

negroes,  without  speaking  a  word,  took  their  leave,  and  left  the 
officer  and  myself  alone. 

"  You  see,"  my  companion  said,  "  here  is  wine  that  we  rarely 
give  to  prisoners,  unless  they  hold  a  high  rank.  But  you  have 
killed  Englishmen,  and  I  can  "refuse  you  nothing  on  that  account. 
The  wine  belonged  to  the  late  Count  Gugdor,  who  was  a  prisoner 
in  this  room  for  two  months,  and  contented  he  was  until  asked 
to  confess  his  crimes ;  and  as  he  wouldn't  tell  all  that  he  knew, 
we  stretched  him  one  day  upon  a  rack,  and  then  let  cold  water 
drop  slowly  upon  his  face.  In  two  hours  he  was  conquered, 
and  begged  for  mercy.  He  told  what  was  wanted ;  so,  of  course, 
it  was  not  necessary  to  rack  him  again.  But  the  count  never 
smiled  after  his  first  taste  of  punishment.  He  refused  to  drink  his 
wine,  imported,  expressly  for  his  house,  from  France ;  and  when 
he  died  I  took  charge  of  his  effects,  and  concealed  the  wine  for 
my  own  private  use." 

My  companion  strode  from  the  apartment,  and  locked  the  door 
after  him.  Left  to  myself,  I  thought  that  I  could  do  no  better  than 
to  drink  the  health  of  Gracia  in  the  wine  which  the  unfortunate 
count  had  left  in  the  fort.  I  opened  one  of  the  bottles  and  drank 
to  Gracia,  and  tasted  of  the  fruit,  and  then  threw  myself  upon  my 
bed  and  fell  asleep,  and  did  not  awaken  until  about  two  o'clock  in 
the  afternoon,  when  a  hand  was  laid  upon  my  shoulder ;  starting 
up,  I  found  the  officer,  whose  name  I  may  as  well  state  was  Ar- 
moranda,  standing  by  my  side. 

"  I  have  brought  you  a  change  of  clothing,  which  the  captain 
of  the  port  sent  from  the  schooner.  Sit  up  and  dress,  for  you 
must  go  with  me." 

"Whereto?"  I*asked. 

"  Before  the  captain  general,  who  will  interrogate  you  in  re- 
lation to  the  abduction  of  a  lady,  the  killing  of  Captain  Marte- 
nello,  the  scalding  of  soldiers,  the  firing  upon  them  after  your 
vessel  was  under  way,  and  the  wounding  of  seven  or  eight  seamen 
on  board  of  the  Furious.  Grave  charges  these.  I  have  racked 
dozens  of  men  for  the  mere  suspicion  of  less  offences,  and  with- 
out proof." 

"  Where  is  the  examination  to  take  place?"  I  asked. 

"  At  the  palace." 

"  Will  it  be  a  lengthy  one  ?  " 

"  That  will  depend  upon  circumstances.      But  ask  no  more 


368  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

questions  at  present.  Dress  yourself,  and  look  as  well  as  possible ; 
for  do  you  know  that  dress  and  looks  have  great  weight  some- 
times ?  " 

I  dressed  myself  carefully,  and  then  returned  to  the  office  of  the 
fort,  where  I  found  two  soldiers  in  waiting  ^  and,  without  exchan- 
ging a  word,  all  four  of  us  entered  a  close  carriage,  drawn  by  mules, 
and  left  the  fort  for  the  city. 

"  This  is  the  carriage,"  the  officer  whispered,  "  that  the  count 
rode  in  for  the  last  time.  The  ride  was  a  short  one,  but  he 
seemed  pleased  with  it.  His  right  leg  was  crushed,  and  rested 
upon  the  very  seat  you  occupy.  But  he  was  a  bold  fellow,  and 
could  bear  pain  better  than  any  man  that  I  ever  saw.  You  re- 
member the  Count  Maquil?"  he  said,  addressing  one  of  the 
soldiers. 

"  Yes,  senor,  very  well.  He  gave  me  an  ounce  the  last  time 
we  gave  him  a  ride." 

I  said  nothing,  but  attempted  to  look  from  the  window  of  the 
carriage,  which  was  frustrated  by  the  soldiers. 

"  Prisoners  are  not  allowed  any  such  liberties,"  they  said. 
"  You  must  remain  quiet  until  such  time  as  we  shall  see  fit." 

I  leaned  back  and  waited  for  the  arrival  of  the  carriage  at  the 
palace,  and  not  another  word  was  spoken  until  the  vehicle  entered 
the  court-yard,  and  the  heavy  gates  closed  behind  us.  The  door 
of  the  carriage  was  opened,  and  the  soldiers  leaped  out,  and  mo- 
tioned for  me  to  follow  them.  I  did  so,  and  in  silence  we  as- 
cended a  flight  of  steps,  and  met  half  a  dozen  soldiers  who  were 
on  guard  at  the  entrance. 

"  In  which  room  is  his  excellency  ?  "  asked  Armoranda. 

'*  In  the  reception-room,  and  waiting,"  was  the  answer. 

The  soldiers  glared  at  me  as  we  passed  along,  and  their  look 
did  not  bode  me  any  good  ;  but  I  did  not  appear  to  notice  it,  and 
passed  along  until  we  met  a  soldier  who  was  stationed  at  a  door, 
indicating  the  room  where  Concha  was  waiting  our  arrival. 

The  next  instant  I  found  myself  in  the  presence  of  the  captain 
general,  the  renowned  Concha,  who  looked  far  from  amiable  as 
he  sat  at  one  end  of  the  apartment,  with  half  a  dozen  of  his  coun- 
cil near  him,  all  ready  to  write  down  what  was  said,  and  deliber- 
ate upon  my  case. 

Concha  was  at  that  time  about  forty  years  of  age,  and  what  the 
ladies  would  call  a  fine-looking  man.  He  was  tall,  thin,  and 


CONCHA.  369 

straight  as  an  arrow,  and  with  an  eye  like  a  hawk.  His  face  was 
destitute  of  beard,  with  the  exception  of  a  mustache,  which  was 
long  and  thick,  and  entirely  concealed  his  mouth.  He  was  dressed 
in  plain  clothes,  and  wore  no  mark  of  distinction  excepting  an  or- 
der upon  his  left  breast,  secured  to  his  coat  by  a  red  button.  His 
brow  was  high,  but  narrow,  and  upon  it  was  a  frown  which  I  saw 
was  not  intended  to  do  me  much  good. 

"  Is  this  the  man  ?  "  the  captain  general  asked  of  Armoranda. 

"  Yes,  your  excellency,  this  is  the  man,"  was  the  answer. 

Concha  fixed  his  dark  eyes  upon  me  as  though  to  read  my  in- 
most thoughts,  and  crush  me  with  his  glance  ;  but  I  bore  all  with- 
out flinching  in  the  least,  and  at  length  his  eyes  fell. 

"  Do  you  speak  Spanish?"  he  asked  in  good  English. 

"  I  do." 

"  Then  your  examination  shall  be  conducted  in  that  language. 
Do  you  know  with  what  you  are  charged  ?  " 

"  I  do  not,  and  am  desirous  of  being  informed." 

"  You  will  learn  full  fast  enough  ;  do  not  fear  ;  "  and  Concha 
smiled  as  though  he  should  consider  it  a  great  triumph  to  put  me 
out  of  existence  without  much  delay.  "  First,  you  have  abducted 
an  heiress  from  the  island.  That  is  punishable  by  death." 

I  did  not  flinch,  nor  move  a  muscle. 

"  Second,  you  have  killed  an  officer  of  the  Spanish  army,  and 
that,  too,  is  punishable  by  death." 

I  made  no  response. 

"  Third,  you  have  dared  to  fire  upon  my  troops,  and  upon  a 
Spanish  frigate,  and  that,  too,  is  punishable  by  death." 

"  Then  it  seems  that  if  I  had  three  lives  I  should  only  have 
enough  to  satisfy  the  law,  and  as  I  only  have  one,  I  don't  know 
how  you  will  manage  it,"  I  remarked. 

Concha  liked  a  little  dash  of  impudence  sometimes,  and  there- 
fore his  features  relaxed,  and  something  like  a  smile  passed  over 
t  hem  ;  but  it  was  only  for  a  moment,  and  then  all  were  hard,  stern, 
and  cold  again.  After  a  pause  he  asked,  — 

"  You  are  an  American  —  are  you  not  ?  " 

"  I  have  the  honor  to  be." 

"  And  have  been  engaged  in  the  slave  trade?" 

"  Yes,  I  do  not  deny  it.  It  is  a  profitable  business,  but  one 
which  did  not  please  me,  and  I  left  it."* 

u  Where  did  you  first  see  the  lady  you  abducted?" 
24 


370  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

"  I  did  not  abduct  any  lady.  She  left  her  father's  house  vol- 
untarily." 

"  Where  did  you  see  her  first?     Answer  truly." 

"  I  saved  her  life.  She  was  on  board  of  a  vessel,  and  deserted. 
The  vessel  was  on  fire,  and  in  half  an  hour's  time  it  would  have 
been  too  late  to  assist  her.  I  returned  her  safe  to  her  father's 
house,  and  then  told  her  that  I  loved  her.  There  was  no  harm 
in  that,  I  suppose." 

Concha  whispered  with  one  of  his  council,  and  I  saw  that  he 
smiled ;  and  that,  I  thought,  was  not  a  bad  omen. 

"  Are  there  not  ladies  enough  in  America,  that  you  should  come 
here  for  a  wife  ?  "  Concha  asked. 

"  None  so  fair  as  the  lady  Gracia,"  I  answered. 

Another  smile  passed  over  Concha's  face  ;  his  council,  taking  a 
hint  from  their  superior,  also  suffered  their  faces  to  relax  from 
their  grimness. 

"  You  have  some  sharpness,  if  you  are  an  American,"  Concha 
remarked,  after  a  moment's  pause. 

44  It  is  necessary  if  one  lives  in  Havana,"  I  remarked. 

The  captain  general  consulted  with  his  advisers,  and  they  de- 
livered a  whispered  command  to  one  of  the  soldiers.  The  latter 
left  the  apartment,  and  a  solemn  silence  pervaded  the  meeting 
until  the  soldier  returned,  and  escorted  Don  Ingracia,  the  father 
of  Gracia,  and  the  man  who  was  indebted  to  me  for  life. 

"  Have  you  ever  seen  the  prisoner  before  ?  "  Concha  asked,  ad- 
dressing the  Don. 

"  Yes,  your  excellency.  He  is  the  one  who  carried  off  my 
daughter  by  force,  and  also  killed  Martenello,  who  was  to  have 
married  her." 

"  Can  you  substantiate  the  charges?  Will  your  daughter  say 
as  much  as  that?" 

"  She  will,  your  excellency." 

"  Then  his  death  is  certain,  and  all  the  forces  of  the  United 
States  shall  not  save  him,"  Concha  said,  with  a  terrible  frown. 

"  Will  you  listen  to  an  explanation?" 

"  Not  to  day.  Your  time  has  not  yet  arrived  to  speak.  When  . 
it  does  I  will  let  you  know." 

*'  Don  Ingracia,"  I  said,  "  for  the  part  you  have  taken  in  this 
matter  I  pardon  you  for  ^vour  daughter's  sake.  I  acknowledge 
that  I  am  to  be  blamed,  but  not  murdered,  for  eloping  with  the 


THINGS   A  LITTLE   MIXED.  371 

lady.  You  know  that  her  love  was  mine,  and  yet  you  have  done 
all  in  your  power  to  crush  her  affections.  If  it  is  any  satisfaction 
to  you,  I  hope  you  will  enjoy  it." 

The  Don  turned  to  the  window,  and  was  much  affected.  He 
could  not  answer  me. 

At  this  instant  an  officer  entered  the  apartment  as  though  upon 
some  errand  of  importance. 

"Well,  sir,  what  is  wanted?"  demanded  Concha,  almost 
fiercely. 

"  The  American  consul  and  the  captain  of  the  United  States 
frigate  ask  for  audience,  senor." 

"What  do  they  wish?" 

"  They  say  an  American  citizen  has  been  imprisoned  unjustly, 
and  after  a  fair  agreement  with  the  captain  of  the  steamer  Furi- 
ous that  such  should  not  be  the  case.  Until  this  matter  is  settled, 
the  frigate  refuses  to  salute  the  forts,  or  the  flag  of  Spain." 

"  Then  let  him  save  his  powder,"  Concha  remarked ;  but  I  saw 
that  he  was  amazed,  ancl  could  not  conceal  his  vexation.  "  Let 
them  wait  a  few  minutes,"  Concha  said ;  and  he  took  counsel 
with  his  advisers,  and  while  they  whispered  I  could  see  that  they 
directed  their  glances  towards  me,  which  looked  as  though  I  was 
the  subject  of  their  remarks.  At  length  the  conference  ceased. 

"  Return  the  prisoner  to  the  fort,"  Concha  said.  "  We  will  ex- 
amine him  at  some  future  time." 

.  "  And  his  treatment,"  suggested  Armoranda.     "  Do  you  want 
him  racked  ?  " 

"  No,  you  fool !     Treat  him  well  until  further  orders.     Go." 

The  soldiers  saluted,  and  we  left  the  apartment  by  a  different 
door  from  the  one  which  we  entered.  We  hurried  through  the 
back  corridor,  and  reached  the  court-yard,  where  stood  the  consul's 
[carriage,  and  also  the  vehicle  which  brought  me  from  the  fort. 
The  soldiers  seemed  anxious  to  leave  the  grounds  of  the  palace 
as  soon  as  possible,  for  fear  they  should  encounter  some  one  who 
[might  ask  them  their  business  ;  and  after  we  were  seated  in  the 
carriage,  I  inquired  of  Armoranda  if  such  was  not  the  case. 

"  We  were  fearful  that  the  captain  general  would  send  us  word 
to  give  you  a  taste  of  the  torture.  That  was  the  reason  we  hur- 
ried off." 

I  hinted  that  I  thought  they  feared  to  meet  the  American  consul. 

"  I  tell  you  what,"  said  Armoranda,  after  a  moment's  pause, 


372  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

*4 1  was  really  fearful  that  you  was  going  to  get  a  taste  of  the 
rack  after  we  reached  the  castle ;  you  spoke  up  rather  short  at 
one  time  —  much  more  bold  than  the  count  dared  to,  even  with 
all  liis  wealth." 

"  And  you  took  good  care  to  remind  Concha  that  a  little  rack- 
ing would  suit  you,"  I  remarked. 

The  Spaniard  smiled  gloomily. 

"  I  must  confess  that  I  like  to  see  the  flesh  quiver,  and  the 
muscles  strain  until  they  are  ready  to  crack ;  but  with  you  it 
is  different ;  you  have  killed  Englishmen,  and  that  is  enough  to 
satisfy  me  you  don't  deserve  punishment.  I  had  to  mention  the 
rack,  and  if  his  excellency  had  ordered  it,  I  should  have  applied 
it  rather  light,  you  may  rest  assured  of  that." 

I  had  but  little  faith  in  the  man's  assertion,  but  I  would  not 
quarrel  with  him,  so  held  my  peace  until  the  vehicle  once  more 
entered  the  gates  of  the  fort,  and  they  were  closed  after  us  with 
a  sullen  crash,  that  must  have  sent  a  chill  to  the  heart  of  many  a 
criminal,  confined  at  the  Castle  for  state  purposes. 

In  the  office  of  the  fort  I  found,  to  my  surprise,  Don  Riejo, 
from  whom  I  had  chartered  the  Coquette.  He  greeted  me  warmly. 

"  I  have  waited  here,"  he  said,  "  for  nearly  two  hours,  so  that  I 
would  be  certain  to  see  you  ;  for  the  instant  I  was  informed  of  your 
return  to  port,  and  imprisonment,  I  obtained  permission  for  an 
interview.  Things  have  worked  badly,  but  it  is  all  owing  to  that 
old  fool,  Don  Ingracia,  who  will  be  sorry  for  what  he  has  done, 
or  I  am  mistaken.  Don't  think  that  your  friends  have  all  deserted 
you,  for  they  have  not.  We  will  remain  as  true  to  you  as  though 
you  were  still  engaged  in  the  slave  trade,  and  money  shall  not  be 
wanting  to  aid  your  cause.  At  present  Concha  is  furious,  but 
he  will  calm  down  in  a  few  days,  or  as  soon  as  he  sees  that  you 
have  powerful  friends.  He  is  not  a  man  to  run  in  direct  opposi- 
tion to  the  wishes  of  those  out  of  whom  he  sometimes  makes  a 
pretty  sum." 

"  But  how  can  you  go  to  work  to  effect  my  release  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  There  are  several  ways.  In  the  first  place,  let  me  know 
what  the  lady  will  say,  under  all  circumstances." 

"  She  will  tell  the  truth,"  I  answered,  promptly. 

"  Yes,  yes ;  I  have  no  doubt  of  that,  but  I  wish  to  know  if  it 
is  the  truth  we  want  just  at  this  time.  A  word  or  two  may 
ruin  all  our  plans,  especially  if  those  words  happen  to  tell  against 
us.  What  will  she  swear  to  ?  That  is  what  I  want  to  know." 


IN   THE   FORT.  373 

I  told  him  as  briefly  as  possible,  and  he  listened  to  every  word 
attentively. 

"You  are  sure  that  she  will  stick  to  that?  "the  Don  asked, 
eagerly. 

44  I  am  positive  that  if  she  is  in  her  right  senses  she  will,"  I 
answered. 

"  In  her  right  senses,"  muttered  the  Don  ;  "  how  do  we  know 
whether  she  will  be  in  her  right  senses  at  the  proper  moment?  I 
have  heard  of  such  things  as  drugging  and  filling  the  mind  with 
denunciations,  when  in  a  sane  moment  the  whole  would  be  re- 
pudiated. But  I  must  set  a  watch  over  the  Don  and  his  daughter, 
and  see  that  she  is  not  tampered  with.-  It  is  the  safest  course. 
If  she  testifies  to  what  you  have  said,  there  is  not  much  danger 
but  your  life  will  be  spared.  As  a  last  resort,  we  have  money, 
and  that  will  accomplish  much  in  this  island." 

He  hurried  from  the  office,  and  Armoranda  conducted  me  to 
my  chamber,  or  cell,  whichever  the  reader  may  please  to  call  it. 

A  man  thinks  of  manj^things  when  all  alone,  with  nothing  bet- 
ter to  occupy  his  time  ;  therefore  it  is  not  wonderful  if  I  did  light 
a  good  cigar,  and  build  castles  with  nothing  more  substantial  than 
smoke.  Two  glasses  of  wine  changed  me  into  a  hopeful  and  en- 
thusiastic lover  once  more,  and  I  was  inclined  to  laugh  at  the 
fancies,  dull  and  solemn,  which  had  filled  my  brain  but  a  few 
minutes  before.  I  ate  of  the  fruit  which  I  found  upon  the  tray, 
finished  part  of  a  roast  chicken  stuffed  with  olives  and  spice,  and 
then  concluded  with  a  third  glass  of  wine,  with  which  I  drank 
the  health  of  Gracia ;  but  hardly  had  I  concluded  when  I  heard 
Armoranda's  footsteps  in  the  corridor,  and  the  gleaming  of  a  light 
flashed  through  the  cracks  of  the  door. 

I  hoped  that  he  brought  me  some  cheering  intelligence,  and 
was  prepared  to  give  him  a  hearty  welcome  when  he  unlocked 
the  door ;  but  he  entered  the  room  cold  and  stern,  and  was  fol- 
lowed by  the  blacks  who  had  visited  me  once  before.  To  my 
surprise,  the  latter  were  laden  with  two  large  trays,  and  upon 
them  were  hot  coffee  of  most  delicious  fragrance,  a  supper  of 
chicken,  eggs,  and  tomatoes,  vegetables  and  sweetmeats,  and  two 
more  bottles  of  wine  of  the  same  brand  as  that  which  I  was  sup- 
plied with  before.  JThere  was  also  a  huge  jug  of  water,  a  ,wash- 
bowl  and  towels ;  and  when  the  slaves  arranged  the  whole,  they 
left  the  cell  without  a  word,  leaving  half  a  dozen  wax  candles  for 
me  to  burn  during  the  night  if  I  was  so  disposed. 


374  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

*4  This  is  not  a  bad  arrangement  for  a  state  prisoner,"  said  Ar- 
moranda,  pointing  to  the  feast  and  its  appearance. 

I  thought  that  it  was  not. 

"  All  that  you  have  to  do  is  to  eat  and  make  yourself  comfort- 
able. I'm  going  to  take  good  care  of  you  for  two  reasons.  First, 
I  am  paid  by  some  one  for  it,  and  secondly,  you  killed  those 
Englishmen,  and  deserve  it  on  that  account." 

Soon  after  daylight  the  next  morning  I  was  awakened  by  the 
noise  of  a  drum  and  trumpet,  turning  out  the  soldiers  of  the  fort 
to  their  daily  duties  ;  and  in  a  few  minutes  Armoranda  unlocked 
my  door,  and  brought  in  hot  coffee  and  fresh  bread.  The  fore- 
noon passed  slowly  enough  ;  but  towards  noon  I  received  a  visit 
from  Francisco,  who  had,  by  the  aid  of  Senor  Riejo,  obtained  a 
pass  to  see  me,  from  the  captain  general,  after  much  persuasion. 

"  I  have  not  lost  a  moment's  time,"  my  friend  said,  "  since  we 
parted  on  the  deck  of  the  Coquette.  But  I  will  give  you  a  com- 
plete history  of  what  I  have  done,  and  then  you  will  understand 
me  much  better."  • 

"  Have  a  drink  first,"  I  suggested,  seeing  that  he  looked  tired 
and  thirsty. 

My  suggestion  met  with  his  approval.  He  drank,  was  re- 
freshed, and  continued :  — 

"  I  waited  on  board  of  the  schooner  until  the  captain  of  the 
port  returned  from  landing  you  at  the  Castle,  and  saw  him  take 
the  Lady  Gracia  on  shore.  I  followed  in  a  boat,  and  tracked  the 
party  to  Don  Ingracia's  palace.  I  need  not  tell  you  that  the 
senorita  was  deeply  affected,  and  shed  many  tears.  Her  father 
met  her  in  the  court-yard  of  his  house,  but  manifested  no  feeling 
of  joy  at  seeing  her ;  and,  to  tell  the  truth,  I  am  glad  that  he  did 
not,  for  had  he  appeared  rejoiced  at  once  more  greeting  her,  she 
would  have  had  some  reluctance  at  leaving  him  the  second  time. 

"  Well,  I  saw  her  safely  housed,  and  found  by  the  servants 
that  a  journey  was  not  contemplated  to  the  country ;  but  for  fear 
that  such  would  be  the  case,  I  stationed  a  man  to  watch  the 
house,  and  to  give  me  information  if  a  start  was  made ;  and  then 
I  went  to  the  firm  of  Riejo  &  Co.,  and  astonished  them  very 
much  with  my  account  of  what  had  transpired.  They  hardly 
knew  what  to  do  or  how  to  proceed ;  for  you  see  the  highest, 
person  on  the  island  had  interested  himself  in  the  matter,  and  ha 
don't  stand  for  trifles,  I  can  tell  you. 


FRANCISCO'S  ACCOUNT.  375 

"  At  length  Riejo  went  to  the  American  consul's,  and  Neali 
and  myself  to  the  Growler,  which  had  dropped  anchor  by  this 
time.  Our  object  was  to  prevent  the  government  from  seizing 
on  the  schooner,  by  stating  that  it  was  chartered  to  an  Amer- 
ican. We  had  an  interview  with  Captain  Bluff,  and  that 
gentleman  was  furious  at  the  manner  in  which  you  had  been 
treated.  He  swore  very  much  that  he  would  not  salute  the  forts 
until  you  were  safe  on  board  the  Coquette,  as  per  agreement ; 
and  to  make  all  sure  of  the  latter,  he  sent  a  boat's  crew  on  board 
and  towed  the  Coquette  under  the  guns  of  the  frigate,  and  she  is- 
lying  there  now.  Then  he  drank  several  glasses  of  brandy,  and 
made  us  do  the  same,  although  we  did  not  like  to ;  and  on  shore 
the  captain  went  to  find  the  consul,  and  have  an  interview  with 
the  captain  general.  What  was  done  I  don't  know  for  certain, 
but  I  think  that  favorable  promises  were  made." 

My  friend  Francisco  poured  out  and  drank  several  glasses  of 
wine  before  he  could  recover  his  breath.  After  he  had  quenched 
his  thirst,  I  asked,  — 

"  And  what  of  Gracia?     Have  you  seen  her  to-day?  " 

"  Only  for  a  moment,  and  then  I  could  not  speak  to  her.  I 
was  in  the  court-yard  of  her  house,  disguised  as  a  fruit-vender, 
and  saw  her  at  a  window.  She  was  very  pale,  and  looked  as 
though  she  had  been  weeping,  as  I  have  no  doubt  she  had.  I 
have  a  man  who  stands  near  the  house  night  and  day,  and  not  a 
soul  can  leave  it  without  his  notice." 

"  And  you  cannot  learn  what  they  have  concluded  to  do  with 
me  ?  "  I  asked,  after  a  moment's  pause. 

"  The  American  consul  don't  know,  and  Captain  Bluff  is  on 
board  his  ship  drilling  the  crew,  as  though  he  really  meant  fight." 

We  were  silent  for  some  time,  for  both  of  us  were  paying  our 
respects  to  the  wine,  and  I  was  thinking  of  poor  Gracia  and  her 
tears. 

"  I  know  that  Riejo,  this  morning,  attempted  to  see  the  cap- 
tain general,  but  was  not  successful.  He  means  to  offer  him  five 
thousand  dollars  in  your  behalf.  This  shows  that  he  has  some 
friendship  for  you." 

While  we  were  conversing,  Armoranda  entered  the  room,  and 
informed  me  that  it  was  time  I  should  make  my  appearance  be- 
fore Concha,  who  expected  me  at  twelve  o'clock,  and  did  not  like 
to  wait  five  minutes.  He  didn't  understand  trifling. 


376  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

Acting  upon  this  hint,  Francisco  left  me  with  the  promise  to 
keep  a  protecting  eye  upon  Gracia,  and  watch  the  movements  of 
her  father,  and  that  he  would  call  again  the  next  day  if  it  were 
possible  to  obtain  a  pass.  We  shook  hands  most  cordially,  and  I 
saw  a  tear  in  his  eye  as  he  thought  of  my  imprisonment  and  his 
own  freedom. 

I  dressed,  and  left  the  fort,  as  I  did  the  day  before,  confined  in 
a  close  carriage,  and  guarded  by  the  two  soldiers  and  Armoranda. 
But  I  noticed  that  the  soldiers  had  changed  their  sullen  aspect  for 
one  that  was  much  more  pleasing,  and  even  smiled  upon  me. 
Could  it  be  possible  that  they  had  felt  the  influence  of  gold,  and 
that  some  one  had  slipped  into  their  palms  a  few  broad  ounces  — 
those  tempters  which  corrupt  both  man  and  woman,  and  by  which 
friendship  is  bought  and  sold. 

We  reached  the  palace  a  few  minutes  past  one  o'clock,  and 
were  received  by  an  officer,  who  ranked  like  one  of  our  sergeants 
in  the  regular  army ;  and  a  most  important  feeling  person  he  was, 
whisking  in  his  hand  a  small  cane,  which  he  seemed  continually 
inclined  to  lay  upon  the  backs  of  the  soldiers  who  stood  near  the 
door,  and  who  appeared  to  dread  that  such  might  be  the  case,  by 
the  alacrity  with  which  they  stirred. 

"  Come,  move,  lads,  move,*  cried  the  sergeant,  with  a  wave  of 
his  hand,  and  a  flourish  of  his  cane,  as  the  door  of  the  carriage 
was  opened,  and  I  was  assisted  out. 

Concha  did  not  look  any  more  amiable  than  he  did  the  day  be- 
fore. He  gazed  at  me  for  a  moment  without  speaking.  I  could 
read  in  his  face  that  he  was  mentally  revolving  in  his  mind  what 
kind  of  torture  he  should  expose  me  to  ;  and  it  would  have  taken 
but  little  to  have  sent  me  back  to  the  fort,  and  given  me  a  taste 
of  the  rack  and  dripping  water.  Indeed,  Armoranda  pricked  up 
his  ears  as  though  expecting  an  order ;  but  his  excellency  con- 
trolled his  jealousy  and  hate  sufficiently  to  spare  the  torture,  for 
which  I  take  this  method  of  thanking  him  most  sincerely.  There 
was  a  solemn  silence  for  a  few  minutes,  and  then  Concha  turned 
to  ofte  of  his  council. 

"  Are  Don  In$racia  and  his  daughter  in  attendance  ?  "  the  cap- 
tain general  asked. 

"  They  are,  your  excellency." 

"  Then  admit  them." 

The  gentleman  addressed  went  out  for  a  moment,  and  I  waited 


PACE  TO  FACE.  377 

with  impatience  for  a  glimpse  of  Gracia's  sweet  face.  At  length 
she  entered  the  room,  leaning  upon  the  arm  of  the  old  gentleman 
who  was  sent  for  her.  How  lovely  she  looked,  although  quite 
pale  !  but  there  was  such  an  expression  of  angelic  resignation  on 
her  face  that  I  could  have  fallen  down  and  worshipped  her  ;  and 
as  it  was  I  started  towards  her,  but  the  soldiers  interposed,  and 
refused  to  allow  me  to  have  any  communication  with  her. 

Gracia  was  dressed  in  white  muslin,  and  wore  no  ornaments 
excepting  a  red  rose  in  her  hair ;  but  never  had  I  seen  her  look 
better,  although  at  her  father's  house  I  had  met  her  in  company 
when  diamonds  flashed  upon  her  arms  and  neck,  and  when  rich 
silks  covered  her  formr  aud  gems  sparkled  in  her  hair. 

As  soon  as  Gracia  saw  me,  she  extended  her  arms,  and  would 
have  advanced  towards  me ;  but  the  old  gentleman  who  had 
charge  of  her  apparently  did  not  approve  of  such  a  course,  and 
gently  detained  her,  and  finally  conducted  her  to  a  seat ;  while 
Don  Ingracia,  after  staring  at  me  for  a  moment  with  silent  indig- 
nation, was  rash  enough  to  shake  his  fist  at  me,  which  even  pro- 
voked a  grin  from  the  captain  general,  who  looked  up  just  in  time 
to  see  the  gesture. 

As  soon  as  all  were  seated  excepting  myself  and  the  soldiers, 
the  great  man  of  the  party  spoke. 

"  Prisoner,"  he  said,  "  our  friend  Don  Ingracia  has  stated  that 
you  abducted  his  daughter,  and  that  you  killed  Captain  Marte- 
nello,  both  on  the  same  night.  For  certain  reasons  I  have  made 
this  a  state  affair,  and  instead  of  allowing  you  a  trial  by  jury,  I 
shall  act  as  judge.  What  do  you  say  to  the  charge? " 

"  Not  guilty,"  I  replied. 

"  Don  Ingracia,  let  us  hear  from  you  on  the  subject.  Your 
information  is  of  importance.  Speak." 

The  old  Spaniard  arose,  and  without  looking  at  me  com- 
menced :  — 

44  Some  few  days  before  my  daughter  was  abducted,  I  told  the 
prisoner  that  she  was  destined  to  be  united  in  marriage  to  Cap- 
tain Martenello,  to  whom  no  objection  could  be  offered  on  account 
of  birth  and  fortune.  I  asked  his  co-operation  in  the  project,  be- 
cause I  thought  that  he  might  have  some  influence  with  my  child, 
the  prisoner  having  once  saved  her  life." 

4i  Did  the  prisoner  promise  his  influence?"  asked  Concha. 

44  He  did,  and  for  it  I  was  to  reward  him.     I  did  this  because 


378  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

I  had  been  warned  that  the  American  was  regarding  her  with 
more  than  friendly  feeling,  and,  as  far  as  my  daughter  was  con- 
cerned, it  was  necessary  to  crush  out  any  hope  that  he  might  have 
entertained.  I  thought  that  I  had  succeeded  by  the  aid  of  money  ; 
but  the  American  deceived  me,  as  they  deceive  every  one  with 
whom  they  trade." 

"  Confine  yourself  to  the  subject,"  Concha  said,  a  little  tartly, 
I  thought. 

"  Yes,  your  excellency.  I  suspected  nothing,  and  thought  that 
my  plans  would  surely  succeed ;  but  a  few  nights  after  my  con- 
versation with  the  American  I  was  awakened  by  a  terrible  com- 
motion in  the  house,  and  found,  to  my  dismay,  that  my  daughter 
had  left  me  and  fled  with  the  stranger,  or  else  that  he  had  forci- 
bly abducted  her.  The  latter  supposition  I  have  since  found  to 
be  correct.  Captain  Martenello  and  myself  followed  on  horse- 
back as  rapidly  as  possible,  and  overtook  the  fugitives  ;  when  we 
were  attacked  by  the  American  and  his  slave,  and  the  captain 
was  killed  just  as  he  had  cut  down  the  black.  I  thought  that 
they  might  have  a  reserved  force ;  so  I  made  my  escape  as  fast  as 
possible,  and  alarmed  the  garrison  at  San  Jaquith,  and  then  came 
and  made  complaint  to  your  excellency." 

"  Does  the  lady  support  your  testimony?  "  asked  Concha. 

"  You  can  question  her,  your  excellency,"  was  the  answer. 

Gracia  looked  up  with  such  an  expression  upon  her  face  that 
I  wanted  to  whisper  words  of  encouragement  to  her,  but  the  con- 
founded soldiers  would  not  permit  me. 

"  I  am  sorry  that  my  testimony  must  conflict  with  my  father's," 
Gracia  said,  in  a  low  tone,  yet  so  perfectly  distinct  every  word 
was  heard  in  that  quiet  room.  "  My  father  is  laboring  under 
a  mistake  when  he  says  that  the  Senor  Robert  removed  me 
from  home  by  force.  Such  was  not.  the  case.  I  left  of  my  own 
will,  and  I  left  joyfully  ;  for  I  would  never  have  married  the  man 
my  father  assigned  me,  for  he  possessed  no  qualities  that  com- 
manded my  respect  or  confidence." 

"  Do  not  heed  her,  your  excellency,"  cried  the  Don.  "  I  think 
that  her  senses  have  left  her." 

"  My  senses  have  not  left  me  ;  but  I  fear  that  they  will,  unless 
the  senor  who  has  treated  me  so  kindly  and  saved  my  life  and 
honor  is  represented  correctly,"  Gracia  exclaimed,  with  much 
earnestness. 


tfc*  **ft*i*     e*eittl  were  tfcw4  «*a  lwr  xritfc  a* 


1MM  C 

Una  14****  4jurv  «s^^ 


Ifer  He  n^mteltfM  «(T  Owwiwi  «s  «t  fdftuil  WM  l%fe*  for 

vWdWIft  wt  Uftfe> 


TV*  «!*ef 
tt  4*t^  fedfevn» 
to  w«Urti  %tt4  Egfe 


tlwit  «)DM       (feil^  to  tte 


wta  Kwurvidi  HMt  I  $^HU4  estop*  fcfe  toiK  %ttwr  *lt 
^a  jfor  it. 


Imr^  tat 

t 


witt  «DWM  to 

IMWT  H^ 

to 


<M  tfefc  po^Mit^  I  Mkd^  wi 


380  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

Poor  Gracia  again  repeated  her  story,  and  related,  in  faltering 
accents,  the  death  of  the  negro,  the  attack  upon  me,  and  the  man- 
ner in  which  I  resisted  it  by  killing  Captain  Martenello.  Her 
father  looked  as  though  he  could  have  struck  her  senseless  while 
she  was  speaking. 

Concha  and  the  council  conferred  together,  and  the  result  was, 
that  Gracia's  innocence  and  frankness  produced  such  an  effect 
I  was  declared  not  guilty  of  the  crime  charged ;  and  I  began 
to  think  that  I  was  progressing  finely,  when  a  messenger  entered 
the  room,  and  said  that  he  desired  to  speak  to  the  captain  general. 

"  Well,  sir ;  what  is  wanting?  "  Concha  asked,  impatiently. 

"  The  American  frigate  Roarer  has  just  entered  the  harbor, 
senor,  and  the  captain  refuses  to  salute  the  forts  until  an  Ameri- 
can, now  in  confinement,  is  released." 

u  Then  she  can  remain  silent,"  was  the  answer. 

"  But,  your  excellency,  the  captain  of  the  Roarer  and  the  cap- 
tain of  the  Growler  are  waiting  for  a  reply." 

"  Then  let  them  wait  until  they  tire,"  was  the  uncivil  answer  ; 
and  Concha  was  about  to  resume  the  examination,  when  I  heard 
Captain  Bluff's  voice,  and  the  next  instant  the  door  of  the  room 
was  opened,  and  in  walked  two  naval  officers. 

"  Hullo,  Shackle  !  we've  found  a  harbor,  after  all ;  and,  by  the 
piper  that  played  before  Moses,  here's  the  old  man  as  large  as 
life,  and  twice  as  natural." 

This  was  said  in  English,  and  was  intended  to  apply  to  Concha, 
who  looked  for  a  moment  as  cross  as  a  bear  with  good  appetite 
and  short  rations. 

The  reason  why  the  two  officers  had  entered  so  unceremonious 
ly  was  because,  while  in  the  hall,  some  one  of  the  captain  gen- 
eral's officers  had  said  that  Concha  was  in  the  room  and  waiting 
for  them,  and  in  they  bolted  without  further  notice  ;  and  gratified 
enough  I  was  to  see  them,  for  if  the  mistake  had  not  been  made, 
I  should  have  missed  the  interview. 


THE  YANKEE  CAPTAINS.  .         381 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

THE   YANKEE   CAPTAINS   AND  THEIR  INTERVIEW  WITH  CONCHA. 

A   CONCESSION.  —  A  POSTPONEMENT. A  PERMIT  TO  LEAVE  

ON  BOARD   THE   GRWLER. 

CAPTAIN  BLUFF,  as  I  said  before,  entered  the  chamber  where 
the  hearing  was  going  on,  and  after  one  startling  exclamation, 
cast  his  keen  gray  eyes  around  the  room  for  the  purpose  of  tak- 
ing an  observation,  and  in  so  doing  it  was  but  natural  that  he 
should  see  me. 

"  Blast  my  eyes,  Shackle,  if  here  ain't  the  chap  that  I  was  tell- 
ing you  about !  Well,  old  fellow,  how  does  the  land  lay,  hey? 
All  shoals  ahead  ?  And  here  is  the  lass,  too,  looking  as  white  as 
a  new  main  royal,  and  twice  as  handsome.  Cheer  up,  my  dear ; 
we'll  have  you  out  of  this  muss,  or  we'll  box  compasses  with  the 
captain  general  afore  many  days." 

And  the  captain,  who  had  really  got  his  bearings,  and  knew 
how  the  land  lay  at  last,  crossed  over  to  where  I  was,  and  shook 
hands  with  me  as  cordially  as  though  I  stood  upon  his  quarter- 
deck ;  and  from  me  he  went  to  Gracia,  and  almost  crushed  her 
little  hand  in  his  huge  paw. 

"Well,  what  in  thunder  is  this  all  about,  hey?"  asked  Captain 
Bluff,  who  seemed  to  take  the  lead  in  everything,  and  left  poor 
Captain  Shackle  away  to  the  leeward,  beating  about  in  wonder 
and  amazement.  "  I  want  to  know  why  you  are  not  released. 
That  is  what  I  want  to  know,  and  I  mean  to  wait  for  an  answer." 

All  this  time  the  captain  general  had  watched  proceedings  with 
as  much  astonishment  as  it  is  possible  for  a  Spaniard  to  show,  and 
yet  he  had  not  said  one  word.  I  noticed,  however,  that  he  had 
touched  a  bell  which  was  just  behind  his  chair,  but  whether  it  was 
to  summon  servants  or  soldiers  was  more  than  I  could  tell.  I 
knew  that  Concha  was  a  resolute  man,  and  would  meet  force  with 
force  ;  but  I  did  not  think  that  Captain  Bluff  would  proceed  to  ex- 
tremities. 

As  soon  as  there  was  a  pause,  Concha  spoke  with  dignity,  and 
made  some  little  impression. 


382  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

"  I  do  not  recognize  yotir  right  to  interrupt  proceedings  in  this 
manner,  but  I  shall,  for  the  sake  of  harmony,  overlook  it  this 
time.  I  can  always  be  approached,  but  I  want  that  formality, 
which  is  due  my  position,  to  be  observed.  Let  the  lady  and  the 
prisoner  retire." 

The  soldiers  were  about  to  carry  out  Concha's  wishes,  but  Cap- 
tain Bluff  interrupted,  and  laid  one  hand  upon  my  shoulder. 

"  For  two  days,"  the  captain  said,  "  I  have  attempted  to  board 
this  chap,  so  that  I  could  overhaul  him ;  but  you  have  refused  me 
on  some  pretext  or  other.  I  now  ask  that  he  remain  in  this  room 
at  present,  or  until  we  can  settle  a  little  business  relating  to  him." 

"  Such  a  course  would  be  without  precedent,  and  would  result 
in  no  good.  The  prisoner  is  confined  for  state  reasons  ;  but,  for 
all  that,  he  shall  have  every  chance  that  can  be  used  for  his  safety. 
This  you  have  my  word  for." 

"  I  have  no  objection  to  your  word,"  Captain  Bluff  said,  "  for 
I  s'pose  one  man's  word  is  as  good  as  another's  unless  one  of  'em 
lies,  and  then  it  ain't.  But  that  is  neither  here  nor  there.  Shackle 
and  I  have  come  here  in  the  hope  of  prevailing  upon  you  to  re- 
lease the  man.  He  hain't  done  any  harm,  and  if  he  has,  he  was 
provoked  to  it,  and  you  can't  blame  him  for  that.  We  don't 
want  to  make  a  fuss,  and 'raise  the  devil  generally,  'cos  it  would 
not  benefit  either  of  us  ;  but  we  must  do  something  for  our  reputa- 
tion, or  we  shall  be  laughed  at." 

The  soldiers  looked  from  the  captain  general  to  Captain  Bluff, 
and  hardly  knew  which  to  mind.  At  length,  to  their  great  relief, 
Concha  nodded  to  them  to  let  me  remain,  and  then  they  fell  back 
a  pace  or  two. 

"  I  have  no  wish  to  involve  Spain  in  a  war  with  the  United 
States,"  said  Concha,  in  a  grave  tone  ;  "  but  the  honor  of  our  na- 
tion must  be  preserved.  The  American  has  fired  upon  my  sol- 
diers, and  upon  a  national  ship ;  and  for  those  offences  he  must  be 
responsible.  If  he  can  prove  that  he  is  blameless  in  the  prem- 
ises, I  shall  release  him  most  promptly.  But  until  he  offers  such 
evidence,  I  shall  hold  him." 

"  But,  blast  it  all,  sir,"  cried  Captain  Bluff,  "  your  old  coffee- 
pot, the  steamer  Furious,  fired  upon  the  schooner  first,  and  should 
have  knocked  the  craft  all  out  of  the  water*  I  heard  three  shots 
before  the  Yankee  returned  the  fire.  I'll  swear  to  it." 

"  The  captain  of  the  steamer  tells  me  a  different  story,"  re- 
marked the  captain  general,  rather  gravely. 


PLAIN  WORDS.  383 

"  Then  he  tells  a  cussed  lie,  and  I'll  say  so  to  his  face  ! "  roared 
Bluff.  UA  man  that  will  say  such  a  thing  as  that,  when  he 
knows  it  ain't  true,  don't  deserve  the  name  of  sailor.  He's  a 
sojer,  and  a  poor  one  at  that,  and  I  would  not  give  him  ship-room 
on  board  the  Growler.  Would  you,  Shackle  ?  " 

"  Certainly  not,"  was  the  prompt  answer. 

"  I  have  the  word  of  the  captain  and  the  first  lieutenant  that 
such  was  the  case,"  Concha  remarked,  in  a  quiet  tone ;  and  per- 
haps he  had,  but  it  seemed  hardly  possible  that  two  men  could 
tell  such  shocking  lies.  Besides,  it  was  pretty  well  understood 
that  Concha  uttered  statements  and  facts  to  suit  himself  some- 
times. 

"  Shackle,  let  us  go  and  find  them  sojers,  and  give  'em  the  lie, 
and  then  fight  'em,"  cried  Captain  Bluff. 

"  I'm  ready  ;  heave  ahead,"  was  the  prompt  reply. 

"  I  shall  allow  no  fighting  on  the  island,"  Concha  remarked, 
rather  sharply. 

"  I  don't  know  how  you  can  help  yourself,"  was  the  impudent 
rejoinder  of  Captain  Bluff.  "  If  we  can't  fight  on  land  we  can  on 
the  water,  and  we  have  nine  hundred  men  to  back  us." 

Concha  bit  his  lips,  and  the  council  frowned.  I  feared  that  the 
captain  would  do  me  more  harm  than  good  by  his  angry  remarks, 
and  I  would  have  given  much  for  the  privilege  of  saying  a  fe^r 
words,  and  smoothing  over  his  roughness.  But  the  soldiers  took 
good  care  to  prevent  me  from  doing  so,  and  I  was  therefore 
forced  to  remain  a  spectator  of  the  disagreeable  scene,  which, 
although  intended  for  my  good,  was  not  mucft  calculated  to  ben- 
efit me. 

There  was  an  awkward  pause  for  a  few  moments,  and  it  was 
evident  that  Concha  was  undecided  what  to  say.  A  reply  was  on 
his  lips,  and  if  he  had  uttered  it,  the  two  captains  would  have  left 
the  palace  with  vengeance  in  their  hearts  ;  but  by  a  powerful  effort 
the  captain  general  stifled  the  hot  words,  and  merely  smiled. 

"  What  we  want,"  said  Captain  Bluff,  in  a  tone  of  voice  a  little 
more  moderate,  "  is  the  discharge  of  our  countryman,  and  we  shall 
not  remain  satisfied  until  he  is  free.  He  was  taken  from  the 
schooner  after  an  express  condition  that  he  should  have  a  fair 
trial,  and  should  not  be  made  a  prisoner.  I'm  a  party  to  that 
condition,  and  my  honor  is  concerned." 

44  Then  call  again  to-morrow,  and  we  will  have  further  con- 


384  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

versation  on  the  subject,"  Concha  remarked.  "  I  trust  that  this 
matter  can  be  adjusted  peaceably.  Let  the  American  return  to 
prison,  and  there  await  our  orders." 

The  soldiers  were  about  to  lead  me  from  the  room,  when  Cap- 
tain Bluff  once  more  spoke,  and  quite  cheerfully  this  time. 

"  I  hope  your  excellency  will  let  the  lad  and  lass  exchange  a 
few  signals  afore  they  are  separated.  They  are  almost  dying  to 
speak  to  each  other." 

"  Certainly.  Let  the  lady  and  gentleman  converse  together  for 
ten  minutes  before  they  are  separated,"  was  Concha's  reply. 

I  hurried  to  Gracia,  and  there,  in  the  presence  of  the  whole 
company,  she  threw  her  arms  around  my  neck,  and  laid  her  head 
upon  my  shoulder.  Don  Ingracia  started  towards  us  as  though 
to  interpose,  but  the  old  gentleman,  who  had  charge  of  the  lady, 
kept  him  back,  and  would  not  let  him  hear  our  discourse. 

"  Cowrage,  Gracia,"  I  whispered ;  "  our  struggles  are  most 
over.  In  a  few  days  I  shall  be  free,  I  think,  and  then  we  will 
leave  the  island  without  molestation." 

"  If  I  could  only  think  so,"  she  replied,  "  I  should  be  happy, 
and  would  cheerfully  submit  to  the  anger  of  my  father." 

"  You  must  not  leave  the  city,"  I  said  ;  "  and  if  you  are  com- 
pelled to,  do  not  fail  of  sending  some  one  to  Francisco,  and  in- 
firm him  where  you  are  going.  Do  you  comprehend  me  ?  " 

"  Yes,  yes,"  she  murmured. 

"  And  you  still  love  me  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  O,  better  than  ever,"  she  cried,  eagerly ;  and  in  the  presence 
of  all  those  men  slfe  threw  her  arms  around  my  neck  and  pressed 
her  lips  to  mine. 

"  O,  Lord  !  "  groaned  Captain  Bluff,  when  he  saw  such  an  ex- 
hibition of  affection,  "  that  reminds  me  of  my  old  woman,  and 
the  day  that  I  was  spliced.  Say,  Shackle,  what  do  you  think  of 
that?" 

"  Think !  "  repeated  Shackle,  who  was  a  matter-of-fact  man, 
and  had  no  nonsense  about  him,  *'  why,  I  think  they  should  be 
spliced  afore  another  dog  watch." 

"  Shackle,"  cried  Captain  Bluff,  "  you  are  a  man  of  sense. 
Give  me  your  paw.  I  am  proud  to  think  that  you  belong  to  the 
United  States  navy.  Long  may  you  wave." 

Even  the  captain  general,  who  was  regarding  the  scene  with 
interest,  and  some  envy,  I  thought,  suffered  a  grim  smile  to  pass 


ANGER    OF   THE   DON.  385 

over  his  thin  features  as  he  witnessed  the  enthusiasm  of  the  naval 
officers  and  the  devotion  of  Gracia. 

I  had  just  released  the  lady  from  my  arms  when  Don  Ingracia, 
her  father,  stepped  forward,  as  though  to  speak  to  me.  I  ex- 
tended my  hand,  but  he  did  not  notice  it,  or  pretended  not  to. 

"  Do  you  still  think  that  I  have  wronged  you? "  I  asked  of  the 
proud  Spaniard. 

"  More  than  your  life  can  atone  for,"  was  the  answer. 

"  Do  I  deserve  such  treatment?  "  I  asked.  "  Do  I  deserve  at 
your  hands  such  false  evidence?  You  know  you  stated  things 
unfairly,  and  yet  I  once  saved  your  life  and  your  daughter's." 

"  Do  not  dare  to  speak  to  me,"  the  Spaniard  said,  with  intense 
bitterness.  "  You  have  wronged  me.  Give  me  back  my  child, 
while  you  return  to  the  prison  which  you  deserve." 

I  was  hurried  from  the  room,  and  did  not  see  that  Gracia  had 
fainted  and  fallen  into  her  father's  arms. 

I  hardly  spoke  a  word  on  my  way  back  to  Moro  Castle,  for 
I  felt  that  my  feelings  were  not  under  control,  and  but  little 
would  have  been  required  to  make  me  exhibit  some  weakness, 
which  I  was  desirous  of  not  gratifying  my  enemies  with  a  sight 
of.  I  leaned  back  in  the  carriage  and  closed  my  eyes,  and  by 
such  means  avoided  conversation  until  we  reached  the  Castle, 
where  I  was  agreeably  surprised  to  find  Don  Riejo  and  Fran- 
cisco, both  awaiting  me  in  the  office. 

"  I  presume,"  asked  the  Don  of  Armoranda,  "  that  we  can  dine 
with  the  prisoner,  if  we  are  so  disposed." 

Armoranda  was  not  so  sure  of  that.  He  had  received  rather 
stringent  orders  about  me,  and  did  not  like  to  take  too  much  re- 
sponsibility. 

"  Then  we  will  dine  in  the  American's  apartment,  and  you 
shall  furnish  the  dinner.  As  long  as  it  is  a  good  one,  I  don't 
care  what  it  costs  ; "  and  the  Don  slipped  two  gold  ounces  in  the 
hand  of  the  watchful  officer,  and  it  was  marvellous  to  see  how 
quick  his  face  changed  from  a  look  of  gloom  to  one  of  gladness. 

"  I  think  I  can  manage  it,"  he  said,  after  a  moment's  hesita- 
tion, putting  the  money  in  his  pocket  with  a  grace  and  indepen- 
dence peculiar  to  Spaniards ;  and  taking  a  key  from  its  accus- 
tomed peg,  he  led  the  party  to  the  chamber  which  I  called  home. 

Locking  the  door  upon  us,  after  a  wise  admonition  not  to  make 
a  noise  and  attract  too  much  attention,  the  officer  left  us  to  con- 
25 


A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

verse  as  much  as  we  pleased,  and  to  refresh  ourselves  with  a  few 
bottles  of  the  deceased  count's  much  prized  wine. 

"  I  suppose,"  said  the  Don  Riejo,  "  that  you  are  anxious  to 
hear  what  news  we  have  brought  you.  I  can  answer  at  once. 
We  have  none  of  importance,  although  you  must  not  suppose  that 
we  have  been  idle.  We  have  been  active,  and  if  we  have  not 
worked  upon  Concha,  I  can  tell  you  that  his  advisers  have  been 
sounded,  and  will  speak  at  the  right  time.  This  is  something  to 
be  depended  upon.  Now  tell  us  what  passed  at  the  examination 
to-day." 

I  related,  as  near  as  I  could  recollect,  all  that  had  ensued,  and 
also  the  violent  scene  between  the  American  officers  and  the  cap- 
tain general. 

*'  That  will  do  for  Concha  to  sleep  upon,"  was  the  remark  of 
Riejo.  "  He  will  now  know  that  that  brandy-drinking  captain 
is  in  earnest,  and  means  to  give  him  trouble  if  your  imprison- 
ment is  insisted  upon.  I  think  that  to-morrow  will  bring  forth 
something  of  importance,  and  until  that  time  we  must  eat,  sleep, 
and  drink  as  usual.  I  wish  that  savage  would  bring  the  dinner, 
for  I  am  as  hungry  as  a  cargadoro." 

Just  at  that  moment  there  was  a  shuffling  of  feet  in  the  pas- 
sage-way, and  the  door  opening  revealed  four  slaves  bearing  dishes 
of  food  and  a  table ;  and  as  they  were  marshalled  about  the  room 
in  arranging  things,  I  could  see  that  the  two  ounces,  which  were 
in  Armoranda's  pocket,  were  doing  wonders  to  make  the  meal  a 
success. 

The  dinner  was  a  good  one,  for  it  was  cooked  outside  of  the 
fort  at  a  neighboring  hotel,  and  by  the  order  of  Francisco,  who 
knew  that  money  would  soften  the  officer's  heart,  and  had  whis- 
pered what  had  been  done  as  soon  as  permission  was  given  to  dine 
at  the  fort. 

There  was  an  abundance  of  wine  and  some  excellent  cigars, 
and  what  more  could  we  have  wished  for  excepting  freedom? 
The  loss  of  that  was  a  drawback,  but  as  long  as  I  was  surrounded 
by  pleasant  companions  I  did  not  think  so  much  of  my  imprison- 
ment. Riejo  grew  jovial,  and  sang  two  or  three  songs,  most  of 
them  love  ditties,  and  when  he  had  concluded,  Francisco  needed 
but  little  urging  to  favor  us  with  a  specimen  of  his  tenor,  and  thus 
the  afternoon  passed  pleasantly  until  they  left  me  alone. 

By  nine  o'clock  Armoranda  furnished  me  with  coffee  and  wax 


A   HINT   TO   LEAVE.  387 

caudles,  and  intimated  that  at  any  hour  I  chose  to  leave  the  Castle 
in  the  morning,  I  was  at  liberty  to  do  so ;  that  I  was  not  regu- 
larly discharged,  for  Concha  could  not  humiliate  himself  so  much 
as  that ;  but  no  one  was  to  notice  me  when  I  left,  and  on  the 
records  was  to  be  entered,  opposite  my  name,  "  Escaped."  By 
such  means  did  the  Spaniard  hope  to  avoid  the  responsibility 
which  he  had  assumed,  and  to  prevent  any  further  importunities 
on  the  part  of  Captain  Bluff  and  the  American  consul. 

After  that  information  the  officer  vanished,  and  I  saw  no  more 
of  him  until  the  next  morning.  Armoranda  was  determined  that 
I  should  not  leave  his  quarters  without  a  substantial  breakfast, 
and  to  it  he  modestly  invited  himself,  for  the  purpose,  I  suppose, 
of  showing  me  how  high  I  stood  in  his  estimation,  and  how  much 
he  regretted  that  he  was  to  lose  my  company. 

. "  I  hope,"  said  my  guest,  as  he  seated  himself  at  the  table, 
"  that  you  will  find  as  clever  a  fellow  as  me  to  look  after  you  in 
case  of  another  imprisonment.  You  have  been  treated  as  well  as 
I  know  how  to  treat  a  prisoner,  and  if  you  have  not  enjoyed  your- 
self it  is  not  my  fault." 

I  complimented  Armoranda  upon  the  admirable  manner  in 
which  he  had  discharged  his  duties,  and  hinted  that  a  handsome 
sum  would  be  placed  at  his  disposal  after  I  left  the  fort ;  but,  to 
my  surprise,  he  refused  all  pecuniary  compensation. 

"  I've  been  amply  repaid,"  he  said,  '*  for  all  the  trouble  I  have 
taken  in  your  behalf,  and  even  if  I  had  received  nothing,  I  should 
consider  the  Englishmen  whom  you  have  killed,  more  than  a  suf- 
ficient offset  for  any  claims  that  I  have.  When  yon  are  free,  just 
kill  some  more,  and  you  will  oblige  me." 

Very  soon  after  breakfast  I  left  the  room  I  had  occupied,  and 
entered  the  office  where  I  found  Armoranda  writing,  and  too  busy 
to  notice  me. 

"  I  suppose  I  can  leave  the  castle  now?"  I  asked. 

There  was  no  response.     The  man  did  not  even  look  up. 

"  Do  you  wish  me  to  remain  ?  "  I  again  inquired. 

"  I  will  tell  you  what,"  said  Armoranda ;  "  if  you  should  leave 
this  office  with  the  intention  of  escaping,  you  would  be  disap- 
pointed, for  a  soldier  at  the  gate  would  demand  the  password,  and 
unless  you  could  say  4  Spain/  it  is  extremely  probable  that  you 
would  be  fired  at.  I  will  not  say  shot,  for  our  soldiers  are  not 
noted  as  marksmen ; "  and  the  man  recommenced  writing  as  though 
he  had  not  a  moment  to  lose. 


888  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

"  Well,  good  by,"  I  said,  extending  my  hand ;  for  the  fellow 
had  been  kind  to  me,  and  I  recollected  the  hint  which  I  had  re- 
ceived about  leaving  the  night  before. 

"  Good  by,"  he  repeated.  "  You  are  going  to  your  room,  I  see. 
I  will  have  dinner  for  you  in  season,  and  more  wine  than  you  can 
drink  in  a  day,  unless  your  stomach  is  endless." 

I  cast  a  glance  around  the  Castle  yard,  and  saw  that  the  soldiers 
were  scattered  about  in  groups,  smoking  and  playing  cards,  and 
some  cleaning  their  arms. 

"  Now  or  never,"  1  thought ;  and  towards  the  gate  I  started 
at  a  moderate  pace. 

No  one  seemed  to  notice  me,  but  I  could  not  help  thinking,  that 
perliaps  the  whole  affair  was  a  ruse  to  get  me  shot  and  out  of  the 
way  with  as  little  trouble  as  possible  j  and  then  the  captain  gen- 
eral could  throw  the  whole  blame  upon  my  rashness  in  seeking  to 
escape  while  negotiations  were  pending  for  release.  But  I  cheered 
myself  with  the  reflection  that  I  had  passed  through  greater  dan- 
gers, and  that  liberty  was  never  to  be  obtained  without  some  risk. 

As  I  neared  the  soldier^  I  saw  that  he  was  as  villanous  look- 
ing scamp  as  ever  I  had  met  with  in  my  life.  In  fact,  he  was 
just  the  man  whom  one  would  pick  out  as  capable  of  any  crime, 
and  a  jury  of  twelve  men  would  have  convicted  him  of  murder, 
even  if  there  had  been  no  direct  proof  of  the  charge. 

As  I  neared  the  sentry  he  glanced  towards  me,  threw  his  mus- 
ket into  the  hollow  of  his  arm,  and  shouted,  — - 

"Who  comes?" 

"  Spain,"  I  replied. 

"  Good  —  pass,  Spain  ;  "  and  when  I  was  opposite  the  fellow, 
he  smiled  and  asked,  41  Has  the  senor  a  cigar  that  he  would  like 
to  spare?"' 

I  handed  him  half  a  dozen,  and  it  astonished  me  to  find  that  he 
was  really  a  pleasant-looking  fellow,  after  all. 

"  A  thousand  thanks,  senor.  The  saints  have  you  in  their 
keeping  in  your  journey  through  life.  Adieu." 

I  passed  on,  but  I  could  not  help  glancing  over  one  shoulder  to 
see  if  the  sentry  was  aiming  at  my  back.  But  no,  he  was  examin- 
ing his  cigars,  and  had  no  thoughts  of  murder,  at  that  time,  at  any 
rate.  I  considered  that  I  had  done  the  man  injustice,  and  had 
some  thoughts  of  returning  and  apologizing ;  but  my  engagements 
were  rather  of  a  pressing  character  just  then,  and,  besides,  I  did 
not  consider  that  it  was  right  to  tempt  Providence. 


LEAVING   PRISON.  389 

In  a  few  minutes  I  was  out  of  sight  of  the  soldier,  but  I  did 
not  consider  myself  entirely-out  of  danger.  I  walked  rapidly,  to 
the  astonishment  of  some  loungers  who  were  viewing  the  outside 
of  the  Castle,  and  speculating  how  long  it  would  take  a  fleet  to 
batter  down  its  walls,  and  capture  the  city  with  its  store  of  to- 
bacco and  cigars.  At  length  I  saw  a  volante  and  driver  under  a 
tree,  and  apparently  waiting  for  some  one.' 

44  Are  you  engaged? "  I  asked. 

44  Yes,  senor  ;  to  some  one  who  is  to  be  driven  to  the  man-of- 
war  mole." 

44 1  am  the  man,"  I  said ;  and,  with  a  spring,  I  took  my  seat 
in  the  vehicle.  4t  Now  drive  as  though  the  devil  was  after  you." 

44  He  is  after  me,  senor,"  said  the  fellow,  with  a  merry  glance 
at  his  passeuger ;  and,  giving  his  horse  a  cut,  we  dashed  through 
the  streets  on  our  journey.  ,  • 

I  left  the  volante  at  the  head  of  the  mole,  and  walked  down 
through  the  crowd  to  see  if  I  could  find  some  men  belonging 
to  the  Growler ;  but  none  were  there,  and  I  began  to  think 
that  I  had  better  hire  a  boat  and  leave  the  city  without  delay, 
when  I  saw  the  first  cutter  of  the  frigate,  with  all  the  crew  on 
board,  lying  at  the  end  of  the  mole,  as  though  waiting  for  some 
one.  A  midshipman  was  seated  in  the  stern-sheets,  smoking  as 
though  he  had  but  a  few  moments  to  live,  and  wanted  to  consume 
as  many  cigars  as  possible  before  he  died.  His  cap  was  pulled 
over  his  eyes  so  that  I  could  not  see  his  face ;  but  I  thought  I 
knew  him,  and  therefore  hailed. 

44  Can  you  give  me  a  passage  on  board  of  the  Growler?"  I 
asked. 

The  middy  looked  up  and  pulled  the  cap  from  his  face.  I  saw 
that  he  was  the  same  one  who  had  carried  me  on  board  the 
Growler  the  first  time  I  had  stepped  upon  her  decks. 

4<  Hullo  !  "  the  young  fellow  said  ;  4'  we  have  been  waiting  for 
you  ever  since  eight  bells,  and  I  began  to  think  that  we  should 
lose  you.  Oars,  boys,  and  pull  in  to  the  mole.  So,  that  will  do. 
Jump  aboard,  sir,  and  we'll  put  you  alongside  the  frigate  quicker 
than  it  could  be  done  by  any  boat  the  size  of  this  in  the  harbor. 
Shove  oif,  bow.  Give  way  with  a  will,  and  let  those  Englishmen 
see  that  you  know  how  to  pull  an  oar.  Long  strokes,  boys,  and 
bend  your  backs.  That  is  the  talk." 

We  shot  past  the  merchant  ships,  and  soon  came  in  sight  of  the 


390  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

men-of-war  lying  at  anchor  near  each  other ;  and  conspicuous 
among  them  all  was  the  Growler  frigate,  with  her  square  stern 
and  heavy  bow,  and  double  row  of  guns  frowning  upon  the  har- 
bor, as  though  sullen  from  a  fit  of  spleent  As  the  cutter  ran 
alongside,  I  heard  the  shrill  pipes  of  the  boatswain's  mates. 

"  Blast  me  if  the  lieutenant  isn't  piping  the  side  for  one  of  us," 
the  midshipman  muttered,  in  astonishment.  "  It  can't  be  that 
Congress  has  at  last  discovered  my  merits,  and  made  me  a  cap- 
tain, hey?" 

I  did  not  answer  this  wonderful  supposition,  but  went  up  the 
steps  first,  and  was  met  by  the  side  boys  with  uncovered  heads  in 
honor  of  my  arrival,  which  was  a  mark  of  respect  I  had  not  an- 
ticipated. But,  if  I  felt  any  embarrassment,  I  was  soon  relieved 
from  it  by  the  action  of  the  first  lieutenant,  who,  as  I  reached  the 
deck,  came  towards  me  and  .grasped  my  hand. 

".  I  am  glad  to  welcome  you  once  more  to  the  deck  of  the 
Growler,"  he  said,  "  and  I  trust  that  the  next  time  we  part,  it 
will  be  with  feelings  of  mutual  satisfaction;" 

I  pressed  his  hand  warmly,  and  expressed  my  gratification  at 
once  more  standing  beneath  the  flag  of  my  country,  a  free  man. 

"  We  had  some  trouble  to  bring  the  captain  general  to  his 
senses,  and  at  one  time  I  thought  we  should  have  to  play  at  long 
shots  with  him.  But  I  am  glad  that  we  did  not  have  to  fight 
against  odds,  for  when  I  fight  I  want  to  win,  and  wooden  walls 
are  not  a  match  for  stone  ones.  But  come  into  the  cabin,  for  the 
captain  wants  to  see  you,  and  he  Tvon't  thank  me  for  keeping  you 
here  all  day." 

I  followed  the  lieutenant  to  the  captain's  cabin,  where  I  found 
Captains  Bluff  and  Shackle,  gorgeous  in  uniforms  and  lace,  sitting 
aj)  a  table  drinking  brandy  and  water,  as  though  their  lives  de- 
pended upon  the  quantity  which  they  consumed  within  a  given 
time. 

"  By  Jove,  Shackle,  here  he  is,  sure  enough,"  roared  Captain 
'Bluff,  as  I  entered  the  cabin;  and  the  captain  jumped  up  and 
squeezed  my  hand  until  it  ached,  while  Shackle,  the  cool  matter- 
of-fact  individual,  merely  said,  — 

"  Devilish  glad  to  see  you,  sir.  Take  a  drink  of  this  brandy. 
It's  prime." 

"  Shackle,  you're  a  man  of  sense,"  cried  Captain  Bluff,  return- 
ing to  the  table,  and  pouring  out  enough  brandy  to  flood  a  jolly 


ON  THE   GROWLER.  391 

boat.  "  Let's  imbibe  all  round,  and  drink  confusion  to  the 
greasers." 

"  By  the  way,"  said  the  captain,  after  a  pause,  "  you  must  dine 
with  me  to-day,  and  if  you  wish  to  make  any  change  in  your  cos- 
tume, you  can  take  one  of  the  cutters  and  go  on  board  of  the  Co- 
quette. I'm  sorry  that  confounded  custom  compels  all  guests  to 
dress  as  though  they  were  going  to  some  land-lubber's  evening 
party.  I  like  to  take  my  grub  in  my  shirt  sleeves." 

As  I  was  dressed  in  light  clothes,  I  saw  the  necessity  of  the 
hint,  and  resolved  to  visit  the  schooner  at  once,  and  see  how 
matters  were  progressing  on  board  the  vessel.  Captain  Bluff 
sent  word  to  the  officer  of  the  deck  to  man  the  cutter,  and,  after 
declining  a  pressing  invitation  to  take  another  drink,  I  left  the 
ship  and  was  pulled  direct  to  the  schooner.  I  was  received  by 
Mr.  Prentice,  the  chief  mate,  with  every  mark  of  joy  and  sur- 
prise. 

"  Darn  my  eyes,"  he  exclaimed,  "  but  this  is  somethin*  to 
make  a  man  feel  good.  I  didn't  expect  you  for  a  mouth ;  but 
while  you've  been  gone  I've  turned  in  the  lower  rigging,  and 
pointed  the  end  of  the  shrouds,  got  things  to  lookin'  pretty  well ; 
but  I  ain't  satisfied  yet." 

"  Never  mind  that  now,"  I  said,  casting  my  eyes  over  the  deck, 
and  seeing  that  everything  looked  ship-shape.  "  Tell  me  if  the 
crew  are  well,  and  if  you  have  had  any  trouble." 

"  All  hands  are  hearty,  and  we  hain't  had  a  bit  of  trouble  since 
we  moved  under  the  guns  of  the  frigate.  We  are  ready  to  go  to 
sea  in  five  minutes  if  the  order  only  comes." 

I  was  rejoiced  at  this,  for  I  did  not  know  but  that  it  might  be 
necessary  for  me  to  move  at  short  notice,  and  told  the  mate  to 
keep  his  eye  upon  the  Growler,  and  watch  her  signals. 

I  entered  the  cabin,  and  found  that  everything  looked  as  neat 
as  the  day  I  left  the  vessel  for  quarters  in  Moro  Castle.  Not  a 
single  article  had  been  displaced  from  my  state-room  and  Gra- 
cia's ;  and  I  knew  this  was  owing  to  the  mate's  forethought  and 
care,  and  I  pleased  him  much  by  commenting  upon  it. 

I  dressed  myself  in  my  best  black  suit,  with  the  exception  of  a 
white  vest  (they  were  fashionable  in  those  days),  and  after  treat- 
ing the  crew  of  the  cutter  to  a  stiff  glass  of  grog,  returned  to  the 
frigate ;  but  saw  before  I  was  alongside  that  there  was  a  great 
commotion  on  board,  as  though  some  event  of  importance  had 


392 

happened,  or  was  about  to  happen.  The  men  were  dressed  in 
clean  white  frocks  and  trousers,  and  shining  tarpaulin  hats,  and 
were  gathered  upon  the  top-gallant  forecastle,  upon  the  booms,  and 
every  available  point  upon  deck,  as  though  they  wanted  to  see  all 
that  was  going  on  in  the  amusement  line. 

*4  Why  are  the  men  dressed  in  their  Sunday  rig  ?  "  I  asked  of 
the  midshipman. 

"  Some  freak  of  the  captain's,"  he  replied  ;  and  the  next  instant 
we  were  alongside. 

Captains  Bluff  and  Shackle  were  walking  the  quarter-deck  with 
all  the  awful  dignity  of  their  positions.  Every  one  was  kept  at  a 
distance  while  thus  promenading,  for  who  could  tell  that  they 
were  not  debating  upon  the  fate  of  nations  ? 

At  length  Captain  Bluff  paused  in  his  walk  and  motioned  me  to 
approach,  while  his  little  gray  eyes  twinkled  with  mischief  and 
cognac.  He  looked  me  all  over  from  truck  to  keelson,  and  then 
turned  to  Shackle. 

"  What  do  you  think?"  he  asked. 

"  He'll  do,"  grunted  Shackle,  with  a  nod. 

"  Blowed  if  I  don't  think  so.  Shall  the  thing  go  on,  or  shall 
we  heave  to  where  we  are,  and  wait  for  daylight  and  soundings  ?  " 

'*  Squally  weather,"  returned  Shackle.  "  Better  make  a  run 
for  it,  and  head  for  port." 

44  Right,  old  fellow ;  we'll  heave  ahead.  Order  up  the  band, 
Mr.  Harvey,  and  tell  the  chaplain  to  overhaul  his  lines  and  get 
them  ready.  Tell  him  to  pick  out  the  strongest  words  that  he 
can  find  in  the  whole  book,  and  reel  off  a  yarn  that  will  tell." 

At  length  the  band  appeared  upon  the  quarter-deck,  and  struck 
up  a  lively  march  ;  and  then  from  the  cabin  issued  a  procession, 
the  sight  of  which  struck  me  dumb  with  astonishment  and  delight. 
First  came  Gracia,  leaning  upon  the  arm  of  the  American  consul, 
and  looking  confused  and  pleased  at  the  same  time.  Then  came 
Captains  Bluff  and  Shackle,  and  after  them  Don  Riejo  and  Fran- 
cisco. I  was  never  more  astonished  in  my  life,  and  could  hardly 
believe  that  I  was  not  dreaming,  and  that  I  should  not  awake  and 
find  myself  once  more  in  Moro  Castle  a  prisoner. 

I  saw  at  once  that  there  had  been  some  conspiring  for  the  pur- 
pose of  keeping  me  in  ignorance  of  what  was  going  on,  and  thug 
giving  me  an  agreeable  surprise ;  and  I  looked  upon  Captains 
Bluff  and  Shackle  as  the  chief  conspirators. 


A  WEDDING.  393 

I  sprang  forward  to  welcome  Gracia,  but  Captain  Bluff  waved 
me  off  with  a  majestic  air. 

44  Avast  there,  shipmate,"  he  said.  "  You  can't  board  that 
prize  till  I  give  the  word.  She's  under  a  convoy,  and  we  are 
bound  to  protect  her ;  so  stand  off  on  another  tack  till  you  get 
signals  to  bear  down.  Ain't  that  right,  Shackle  ?  " 

"  That's  ship-shape,"  was  the  answer. 

u  But  let  me  say  but  a  few  words  to  the  lady,"  I  pleaded. 

"  Not  a  whisper,"  was  the  answer.  "  After  you  are  spliced 
you  can  lay  alongside  as  fast  as  you  please,  but  now  you  must 
sheer  off  until  the  parson  hails.  How's  that,  Shackle?  " 

44  That's  aboveboard,"  was  the  answer. 

Poor  Gracia  looked  as  though  she  would  have  given  much  to 
speak  to  me  ;  but  her  friends  had  arranged  the  programme,  and 
she  did  not  dare  disarrange  it.  She  had  been  told  that  she  was  to 
marry  me,  but  that  she  must  do  so  in  a  hurry  for  certain  reasons, 
and  that  she  must  follow  all  directions.  The  poor,  timid  thing 
was  easily  frightened,  and  promised  obedience. 

44  Harvey,"  asked  the  captain,  "  has  the  parson  been  piped?  " 

44  Yes,  sir,  and  will  be  here  in  a  moment.  He  is  overhauling 
the  words,  for  he  is  a  little  rusty." 

44  Then,  before  he  comes,  I'd  better  say  a  word  or  two  —  hadn't 
I,  Shackle?"  Captain  Bluff  asked. 

44  Heave  ahead,"  was  the  answer. 

Thus  encouraged,  Captain  Bluff  motioned  Gracia  and  myself  to 
stand  before  him,  and  removing  his  hat,  made  a  speech. 

44  You  are  about  to  be  spliced,"  he  said,  4<  and  you  are  going  to 
sail  over  the  ocean  of  life  in  company  ;  but  you'll  meet  with  storms 
and  tempests,  and  then  you'll  have  to  send  down  your  top  hamper, 
and  make  all  snug  aloft ;  for  if  you  don't,  you'll  get  dismasted, 
and  perhaps  water-logged.  When  it's  calm  you  will  have  to  be 
patient  with  each  other,  and  trim  your  sails  so  that  you  can  catch 
the  faintest  breath  of  air  that's  stirring,  in  hope  of  wafting  you  to 
that  haven  where  there  is  no  topsails  to  reef,  and  no  storms,  but 
trade  winds  blowing  all  the  time  ;  and  they  pipe  to  grog  six  times 
a  day,  besides  allowing  a  feller  a  private  bottle  or  two  if  he 
pleases.  You  must  look  out  for  squalls ;  and,  if  you  see  one 
rising,  you  must  douse  sail  immediately,  and  be  patient  till  it 
passes.  As  for  the  babies  —  " 

44  You're  shoaling  your  water  fast,"  muttered  Shackle,  in  a 
warning  manner. 


394  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

"  So  I  am.  Can  I  say  anything  more  that  will  make  'em  sail 
together  any  better  ?  " 

"  Not  another  word,"  Shackle  said.  "  You've  preached  like  a 
log-book  already ;  so  don't  make  it  too  long,  as  they  won't  listen 
if  you  do." 

At  length  the  reverend  gentleman  made  his  appearance ;  and 
the  band,  wishing  for  their  share  of  attention,  immediately  struck 
up  u  See,  the  Conquering  Hero  comes,"  which  they  considered 
appropriate,  and  rather  complimentary  to  the  chaplain  than  other- 
wise. 

The  reverend  gentleman  smiled  at  the  singularity  of  the  tune, 
and  at  any  other  time  would  have  laughed  most  heartily,  for  he 
was  as  fond  of  a  joke  as  any  person  on  board  the  ship,  and  was 
therefore  a  great  favorite  of  the  sailors. 

"  Come,  parson,  crowd  sail,  and  splice  'em  as  soon  as  possible," 
cried  Captain  Bluff. 

"  Are  they  in  such  a  hnrry?"  asked  the  chaplain. 

u  Lord,  they  are  all  in  a  flurry,  like  a  whale  that  has  spouted 
blood.  See  how  white  they  look  about  the  gills,  and  then  ask  if 
they  are  in  a  hurry." 

The  chaplain  stepped  before  us,  and  motioned  that  we  should 
join  hands.  We  did  so ;  and  I  felt  Gracia's  tremble,  and  she 
partly  leaned  on  me  for  support. 

"  Will  you  take  this  woman  for  your  wife?  "  the  chaplain  asked, 
after  a  short  prayer. 

"  I  will." 

"  And  will  you  take  this  man  for  your  husband  ?  " 

,"  I  will,"  so  low  that  it  was  only  heard  by  a  few. 

"  Then  I  pronounce  you  man  and  wife,  and  may  God  bless  you 
both,  and  your  children,  if  you  have  any.  Amen." 

I  was  married  so  quick  that  I  was  not  aware  that  the  ceremony 
was  concluded  until  I  heard  Captain  Bluff  shout,  — 

"  Up  with  the  flags,  and  let  us  have  the  salute." 

And  as  he  spoke,  a  string  of  flags,  extending  from  the  bowsprit 
to  the  taffrail,  was  ruu  up,  and  at  the  same  moment  the  guns  of 
the  frigate  began  to  shake  the  vessel  as  they  belched  forth  smoke, 
which  circled  in  eddies  around  the  ship,  and  then  slowly  drifted  off 
to  the  leeward  among  the  merchantmen. 

"  There,"  cried  Captain  Bluff,  as  the  report  of  the  last  gun  died 
away,  "  have  I  kept  my  word,  Shackle?" 


A   SALUTE   FROM  THE   GROWLER.  395 

"  Of  course  you  have.  I  knew  you  would,"  was  the  satisfactory 
reply. 

I  was  seated  with  Gracia  on  a  sofa  which  had  been  brought  on 
deck  for  our  accommodation,  and  was  wondering  at  the  salute, 
when  the  captain  spoke. 

"  You  see,"  the  captain  cried,  "  I  swore  that  I  wouldn't  salute 
the  forts  till  you  were  released  and  spliced,  and  I've  kept  my  word, 
I  guess." 

"  I  guess  so,  too,"  Shackle  muttered,  seating  himself  upon  the 
hammock  netting  and  picking  his  teeth,  with  such  earnest  glances 
at  Gracia  that  she  blushed,  and  murmured  in  Spanish  that  the 
captain  was  a  funny-looking  man. 

The  salute  from  the  frigate  was  promptly  returned  by  the  forts, 
and  then  the  merchant  ships,  catching  the  enthusiasm,  hoisted 
their  flags,  and  many  crews  of  the  different  vessels  climbed  into 
the  tops  for  the  purpose  of  overlooking  the  Growler  and  seeing 
what  was  going  on.  A  dozen  boats  were  plying  around  us,  the 
inmates  of  which  were  regarding  us  with  the  utmost  astonish- 
ment, and  inquiring  of  each  other  what  it  was  all  about. 

"  Now,"  cried  Cftptain  Bluff,  his  red  face  beaming  with  brandy 
and  excitement,  "  how  do  you  feel,  speaking  between  us  aud  the 
mainmast?" 

I  intimated  that  I  felt  very  happy,  and  Gracia  bowed  her  fair 
head  in  token  of  her  assent  to  that  doctrine. 

"  I'm  glad  of  it ;  and  if  you  don't  always  feel  so,  call  on  me 
and  Shackle,  and  we'll  set  you  all  right  "before  you  could  fleet  a 
messenger.  Eh,  Shackle?" 

"  Them's  my  sentiments.  I  go  for  that  and  more  too,"  was 
the  answer. 

"  Now  we  are  going  to  have  dinner,  and  then  you  can  do  as 
you  please  —  take  passage  in  the  Growler  for  Boston,  or  join 
your  own  craft.  My  cabin  is  at  your  service  ;  and  there  you  can 
sling  your  hammocks  and  pass  your  honeymoon. 

My  wife  blushed,  and  appeared  to  be  occupied  in  arranging  her 
dress  while  the  blunt  captain  was  talking. 

I  thought  the  matter  over,  and  was  decidedly  in  favor  of  re- 
turning to  the  Coquette,  where  I  was  my  own  master,  and  ac- 
countable to  no  one  ;  but  I  determined  to  be  governed  entirely  by 
Gracia. 

"  Let  us  return  to  the  Coquette,"  she  whispered.     "  There  we 


396  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

can  be  alone,  and  enjoy  the  privacy  of  a  home.  It  was  there  I 
learned  to  love  you,  and  you  learned  to  love  me.  I  should  be 
miserable  surrounded  by  so  many  people." 

I  applauded  her  decision,  and  promised  that  I  would  be  gov- 
erned by  it,  and  so  stated  to  Captain  Bluff. 

"  But  let  me  send  a  gang  of  carpenters  on  board,  and  fit  a 
berth  up  for  you.  It  won't  take  more  than  an  hour,"  the  captain 
said. 

That,  too,  for  a  very  good  reajson,  I  also  declined,  and  the  cap- 
tain thought  what  he  should  offer  next. 

"Let  me  send  some  brandy  on  board.  Your  wife  may  be 
sick." 

"  I  have  enough  of  that  already." 

"  Then  come  and  have  dinner,  for  I  see  that  it  is  on  the  table. 
Come,  gentlemen,  join  me,  and  let  us  see  who  can  be  the  most 
happy  at  the  turn  of  affairs.  We'll  drink  to  our  country  and  the 
bride.  Come,  follow  me." 

The  captain  led  off,  and  I  gave  my  arm  to  Gracia,  and  followed 
him  and  the  rest  of  the  company  at  their  leisure  ;  and  thus  we 
proceeded  to  the  captain's  cabin,  where  an  "elegant  dinner  was 
spread,  most  of  the  materials  having  been  procured  from  shore 
expressly  for  the  occasion. 

Captain  Bluff  took  the  head  of  the  table,  and  on  his  right  were 
my  wife  and  myself,  and  on  his  left  were  the  American  consul, 
Shackle,  Riejo,  and  Francisco  ;  while  the  officers  of  the  frigate, 
and  some  few  invited  from  the  Roarer,  were  scattered  around  the 
table,  according  to  their  rank  in  the  United  States  navy. 

Among  those  present  I  was  pleased  to  recognize  my  friend 
Lieutenant  Nowell,  to  whose  care  I  had  intrusted  the  box  con- 
taining the  diamonds  and  precious  stones  which  I  had  found  on 
board  of  the  Virgin  ;  and  I  was  glad  to  see  that  he  had  not  for- 
gotten his  charge,  for  he  approached  and  whispered,  — 

"  I  congratulate  you  on  the  successful  termination  of  your  ad- 
ventures. You  are  to  be  envied.  I  have  the  casket  safe,  and  will 
give  it  to  you  when  you  leave  the  ship." 

I  pressed  his  hand  and  breathed  a  little  easier.  It  would  have 
been  something  of  a  loss  to  have  failed  in  getting  back  over  a 
hundred  thousand  dollars'  worth  of  diamonds. 

"  What  did  he  mean  by  casket  ?  "  asked  my  wife. 

"  He  meant  you,  my  dear,"  I  replied,  gallantly. 


THE   DINNER   ON   THE    GBOWLER.  397 

Gracia  smiled,  and  looked  at  the  young  officer  with  some  inter- 
est during  the  balance  of  the  time  that  we  were  at  dinner.  So 
much  for  a  good  word  fitly  spoken. 

I  cannot  say  that  I  was  brilliant  at  the  table.  I  had  seen  so 
much  to  surprise  me  during  the  day  that  I  was  thoughtful  but 
happy,  and  every  time  that  I  raised  my  eyes  to  my  wife's  blushing 
face,  I  saw  no  cause  to  be  otherwise.  I  longed  for  the  time  when 
I  could  retire  to  privacy  with  her,  and  converse  with  her  upon  the 
many  changes  which  we  had  witnessed  during  the  six  months  of 
our  acquaintance,  and  I  knew  that  such  was  her  wish  ;  therefore, 
when  the  cloth  was  removed  and  my  health  and  Gracia's  pro- 
posed, I  made  a  few  remarks,  thanking  every  one  for  the  interest 
which  he  had  taken  in  me  and.  mine.;  and,  after  alluding  to  the 
American  eagle  and  the  flag  of  our  country,  sat  down  amidst 
thunders  of  applause,  as  the  reporters  say  when  alluding  to  some 
stupid  orator,  whom  the  public  cheer  when  he  lapses  into  si- 
lence. 

After  my  speech  the  American  consul  made  one,  and  spoke  of 
protecting  every  citizeu  of  America,  from  the  poorest  to  the  high- 
est ;  and  from  the  applause,  I  really  think  that  it  was  believed. 

Then  Captain  Bluff,  his  face  looking  more  red  than  ever,  arose 
and  gazed  upon  every  one  in  a  dull,  uncertain  manner,  before  he 
let  loose  his  eloquent  tongue.  He  spoke  as  follows  :  — 

"  Why  do  I  rise  here  ?  "  he  asked.  But  no  one  knew,  and  of 
course  no  one  answered.  "  It  is  to  congratulate  the  young  folks 
who  have  been  spliced  this  day  on  board  the  Growler.  Am  I 
wrong  in  saying  that  I  hope  their  course  through  life  will  be 
clear  of  rocks  and  shoals  ?  " 

There  were  cries  of  "  No,"  during  which  the  captain  took  a 
drink  —  an  example  which  Shackle  followed  without  delay. 

"  May  they  always  sling  their  hammocks  in  a  craft  that  will 
mind  its  helm  quick,  and  can  carry  sail  without  straining.  Them's 
my  sentiments." 

There  were,  immense  cheers  at  this,  and  the  guests  began  to 
take  on  board  so  much  liquor  that  I  thought  it  best  to  leave  the 
table  with  my  wife,  and  find  peace  on  board  of  the  Coquette.  I 
therefore  arose,  and  stated  that  I  was  compelled  to  retire  on  ac- 
count of  my  wife's  health,  and  for  a  wonder,  Captain  Bluff  made 
no  objections. 

"  Remember,"  he  said,  as  he  accompanied  me  from  the  cabin, 


398  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

"  the  frigate  will  get  under  way  to-morrow  morning,  and  you  had 
better  do  the  same.  We  are  both  bound  for  Boston.  Let  us 
sail  in  company,  to  prevent  mistakes." 

I  agreed  to  that  without  much  argument.  We  soon  arrived 
alongside  of  the  Coquette,  the  crew  of  which  were  rigged  out  in 
their  best,  and  had  made  ample  preparations  for  receiving  me  by 
dressing  the  schooner  in  flags  from  stem  to  stern,  and  by  covering 
the  decks  fore  and  aft  with  awnings  to  protect  the  crew  and  guests 
from  the  hot  sun. 

We  were  soon  on  deck,  and  Mr.  Prentice  welcomed  us  in  his 
Cape  Codish  style,  which  was  more  grateful  than  if  he  had  used 
the  language  of  courtiers,  knowing  as  I  did  that  it  came  from  his 
heart. 

All  on  board  the  schooner  were  stirring  early  the  next  morning 
in  the  expectation  of  our  sailing,  in  company  with  the  frigate. 
The  decks  were  washed  down  and  scrubbed  dry,  and  all  hands 
were  piped  to  breakfast  at  seven  bells,  at  which  time  the  table  in 
the  cabin  was  spread,  and  my  wife,  Francisco,  and  myself  sat 
down  to  partake  of  the  meal.  I  can't  say  that  it  was  really  a 
pleasant  one,  for  Francisco  looked  so  piteous  and  doleful  at  the 
idea  of  parting,  that  I  could  not  smile  and  feel  as  lively  as  usual, 
and  Gracia  was  too  retiring  and  modest  to  be  really  good  com- 
pany on  the  morning  after  her  wedding.  She  made  a  desperate 
attempt  to  sustain  her  share  in  the  conversation,  but  it  was  a 
failure,  and  she  fell  back  upon  her  reflections,  and  I  have  no  doubt 
they  were  pleasant. 

But  at  last  the  breakfast  terminated,  and  just  at  eight  bells  up 
went  a  signal  from  the  Growler,  which  read,  "  Prepare  to  get 
under  way  ;  "  but  we  were  all  ready,  and  waiting  for  the  frigate 
to  lead  off;  and  we  had  but  a  short  time  to  wait,  for  in  a  few 
minutes  the  noise  of  the  fife  was  heard,  and  the  stamping  of  the 
men  as  they  worked  the  capstan,  aad  roused  up  the  ponderous 
chain  by  the  aid  of  a  messenger. 

Suddenly  the  noise  of  the  capstan  ceased,  and  a  hundred  men 
sprang  from  the  tops  upon  the  yards,  alow  and  aloft,  and  com- 
menced loosing  sails.  They  cast  off  the  gaskets  rapidly,  and  then 
all  laid  in,  one  man  on  each  yard,  who  took  their  stations  at  the 
bunt  gaskets,  and  waited  for  the  signal  from  the  lieutenant  to  "  let 
fall."  Most  of  the  men  returned  to  the  deck,  but  half  a  dozen  or 
more  remained  in  each  top  for  the  purpose  of  overhauling  the  rig- 
ging, and  clearing  anything  that  happened  to  foul. 


THE   GROWLER   MAKING   SAIL.  399 

"  Aloft,  there  !  "  I  heard  the  first  lieutenant  shout. 

"  Ay,  ay,  sir,"  was  responded  fore  and  aft. 

"  Are  you  ready?" 

«*  All  ready,  sir,"  was  the  answer. 

"  Then  let  fall ;  "  and  in  an  instant  the  frigate  was  covered  with 
canvas  fore  and  aft. 

Up  went  the  topsails,  and  top-gallant  sails  all  at  once,  as  fast 
as  men  could  run  aleng  the  deck  with  the  halyards.  The  other 
sails  were  not  wanted  until  the  ship  was  under  way  ;  so  they  hung 
by  the  buntlines  and  brails,  but  all  ready  to  be  sheeted  home  at  a 
moment's  notice. 

Then  I  thought  it  was  time  that  we  should  make  some  prepara- 
tions, and  I  gave  orders  to  loosen  sails  and  man  the  windlass. 

"  Let's  beat  the  frigate,  boys,"  shouted  the  mate,  springing 
forward. 

The  crew  caught  at  the  idea,  and,  as  the  chain  came  in,  started 
a  song,  which  was  heard  all  over  the  harbor,  and  caused  thousands 
of  citizens  to  assemble  upon  the  shore  to  see  what  was  going  on. 

As  soon  as  we  had  hove  short,  we  hoisted  our  fore  and  aft  sails, 
and  then  tripped  anchor  just  as  the  frigate  commenced  feeling 
the  morning  breeze,  and  pointed  her  head  for  the  outlet  of  the 
harbor. 

We  had  the  weather-gage  of  the  frigate,  and  kept  it ;  and  as  we 
moved  along,  side  by  side,  for  a  few  minutes,  the  red  face  of  Cap- 
tain Bluff  was  poked  over  the  frigate's  rail,  and  he  shouted,  — 

"  How  is  your  wife  this  fine  morning?  " 

"  Well,"  I  answered,  pointing  to  her,  seated  on  deck. 

"  That's  right.     Now  for  home." 

The  words  were  taken  up  by  my  crew,  and  as  they  catted  the 
anchor,  they  sang,  "  For  home,  boys,  home." 

With  a  light  breeze  from  the  southward  we  passed  the  forts, 
and  on  the  walls  of  the  Moro  I  saw  Armoranda  and  half  a  dozen 
officers  standing  watching  the  movements  of  the  frigate  and 
schooner,  and  conversing  eagerly,  as  though  some  topic  interested 
them  very  much  ;  and  I  did  not  doubt  that  J  was  the  subject  of 
their  remarks,  but  felt  secure  iu  the  protection  of  the  frigate,  and 
cared  but  little  for  their  thoughts. 

As  we  made  sail  we  gradually  drew  ahead  of  our  stately  con- 
sort, and  by  the  time  we  were  outside  of  the  harbor,  the  frigate 
had  studding-sails  alow  and  aloft,  and  every  rag  set  that  would 


400  4.  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

draw,  for  Captain  Bluff  did  not  like  the  idea  of  being  outsailed, 
and  was  determined,  to  show  the  Coquette  that,  even  in  a  light 
breeze,  the  Growler  was  a  match  for  anything  that  floated.  But 
if  Captain  Bluff  had  pride  in  the  sailing  qualities  of  his  ship,  we 
equalled  him  in  believing  that  the  Coquette  was  never  built  for 
defeat ;  and  as  the  breeze  freshened  we  also  piled  on  the  canvas, 
from  square-sail  to  topmast  studding-sail,  and  had  the  satisfaction 
of  seeing  that  at  every  bound  the  frigate  was  left  astern,  until  to- 
wards afternoon  it  was  impossible  to  distinguish  her  bow  ports 
without  the  aid  of  a  glass  ;  while  at  sundown  the  Growler  was  hull 
down,  and  at  daylight  we  were  alone  upon  the  ocean,  with  noth- 
ing in  sight  from  the  mast-head. 

After  a  run  of  ten  days  we  made  Boston  harbor,  and  learned, 
from  the  pilot  whom  we  took  on  board,  that  the  Growler  had  not 
arrived,  although  expected  for  the  past  ten  days.  This  was  a  tri- 
umph for  ns,  and  one  enjoyed  by  the  whole  crew.  We  walked 
«p  the  harbor  under  a  stiff  breeze  from  the  eastward,  and  many 
were  the  surmises  as  to  our  previous  character,  and  some  of  them 
were  pretty  correct ;  but  I  was  on  board  only  as  a  charterer,  and 
knew  nothing  of  the  Coquette's  previous  history. 

As  we  sailed  up  the  harbor  on  a'  pleasant  afternoon  in  June, 
Gracia  was  delighted  with  everything  that  she  saw,  and  admired 
the  scenery  and  the  islands  which  we  passed,  and  wondered  why 
such  delightful  localities  were  almost  uninhabited, .when  they  of- 
fered such  sites  for  country  villas  for  residences  during  the  sum- 
mer months. 

We  dropped  anchor  off  Long  Wharf,  and  towards  sundown  I 
landed  with  nrf  wife  and  valuables,  and  drove  to  the  Tremont 
House  and  secured  rooms.  The  next  day  the  Coquette  was 
hauled  into  a  snug  dock  at  East  Boston,  and  Mr.  Prentice  and 
the  crew  left  for  their  homes,  after  being  paid  off.  The  mate, 
however,  was  absent  but  two  days,  when  he  returned,  and  took 
charge  of  the  schooner  once  more  ;  and  as  his  wife  lived  with  him 
on  board,  they  seemed  quite  contented  with  their  position. 

Four  days  after  .the  Coquette  arrived,  the  Growler  dropped 
anchor  in  the  harbor ;  and  I  don't  think  I  ever  saw  a  more  mor- 
tified man  than  Captain  Bluff,  when  he  called  to  see  me  at  the 
hotel  the  evening  of  his  arrival.  But  over  a  glass  of  his  fa- 
vorite beverage,  strong  and  without  sugar,  he  forgot  his  defeat, 
and  talked  as  natural  as  though  he  was  upon  the  quarter-deck, 
and  five  hundred  men  trembled  at  his  nod. 


AT   HOME.  401 

The  next  day  the  gold  which  I  had  on  board  was  moved,  and 
sent  to  the  Suffolk  Bank  for  deposit.  Just  at  that  time  Spanish 
doubloons  commanded  a  premium  of  fifty  cents  more  than  they 
were  worth  at  Havana,  consequently  I  sold  them  on  the  very 
day  that  they  were  landed,  and  realized  some  five  thousand  dol- 
lars' profit ;  and  the  money  I  safely  invested  in  sound  stocks, 
which  paid  dividends  for  a  wonder. 

Then  I  began  to  think  of  the  diamonds  I  owned,  and  which 
Gracia  knew  nothing  of.  I  opened  my  casket,  and  selected  about 
thirty  thousand  dollars*  worth,  with  rubies  and  emeralds,  and 
those  I  left  at  a  jeweller's  on  Washington  Street,  to  be  made 
into  a  necklace,  ear-rings,  breast-pins,  bracelets,  and  finger-rings, 
and  the  balance  of  the  stones  I  carried  to  New  York,  and  sold 
in  small  lots  for  sums  which  exceeded  my  most  sanguine  expecta- 
tions ;  and  after  I  was  paid  in  full,  found  that  I  had  realized 
over  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars,  not  including  the 
thirty  thousand  dollars'  worth  which  I  had  reserved  for  my  wife  ; 
so  that  I  figured  up  my  total  cash  accounts,  not  including  the 
jewels,  at  almost  four  hundred  thousand  dollars,  which  I  thought 
a  very  pretty  little  fortune ;  and  I  determined  to  enjoy  myself,  and 
let  my  wife  see  the  country  by  travelling  during  the  summer 
months. 

But  before  .we  started,  to  satisfy  my  wife's  scruples,  we  were 
re-married  in  the  Catholic  form  of  religion  ;  and  as  soon  as  that 
ceremony  was  performed  my  wife  had  nothing  to  cloud  her  brow, 
excepting  the  fate  of  an  expectant  child ;  but  that  was  born  while 
we  were  at  Niagara  Falls,  and  proved  to  be  a  healthy  male  in- 
fant, with  a  face  like  its  mother's,  enough  to  make  me  feel  proud 
of  it.  I  engaged  the  best  nurse  that  I  could  find  to  take  charge 
of  my  wife,  and  for  a  month  she  remained  at  the  Falls,  until 
able  to  travel,  when  we  returned  to  Boston,  where  I  found  let- 
ters awaiting  me  from  Don  Ingracia,  and  a  brief  one  from 
Concha. 

The  Don's  letter  was  really  an  affectionate  one.  He  alluded  to 
the  service  which  I  had  rendered  him,  and  said  he  could  see  where 
he  had  acted  hastily  towards  me  and  Gracia.  He  was  growing 
old,  and  wanted  some  friends  around  him  to  support  his  declining 
days.  He  had  made  a  mistake,  and  was  sorry  ;  and  if  we  would 
return,  he  would  do  all  that  he  could  to  make  life  pleasant  for 
both  of  us. 

26 


402  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

Concha  wrote  a  few  lines,  saying  that  a  complete  pardon  awaited 
me  if  I  needed  one,  and  that  if  I  was  disposed  to  enter  his  service, 
he  had  a  place  for  me. 

I  showed  Gracia  her  father's  letter,  and  asked  her  to  make 
choice  of  a  home,  and  that  I  would  be  governed  by  her  wishes. 
She  read  the  letter  carefully,  shed  many  tears,  kissed  the  baby,  — 
for  she  was  not  satisfied  unless  she  could  hold  it  half  the  time,  and 
the  little  tyrant  began  to  understand  that  he  was  of  some  im- 
portance, and  yelled  like  a  baby  if  she  refused  to  gratify  all  his 
wants,  —  and  at  length  confessed  that  she  desired  to  see  her  father 
very  much,  and  that  she  also  wanted  him  to  see  her  child,  and 
note  what  a  handsome  one  it  was.  She  liked  America,  and  the 
people  ;  but  it  was  not  her  home. 

I  was  satisfied  that  she  still  loved  her  father,  and  wanted  his 
forgiveness,  so  consented  to  go  to  Havana  and  spend  the  winter 
there,  at  any  rate,  and  return  to  Boston  in  the  spring.  The  Co- 
quette had  gone  back  many  months  before  ;  so  I  was  forced  to  en- 
gage a  passage  in  a  ship  that  was  bound  to  Havana  from  Boston  ; 
and  with  wife,  child,  nurse,  and  servants,  and  a  trunk  full  of  play- 
things, we  sailed  from  the  city  in  the  month  of  October,  and  after 
a  passage  of  fifteen  days  dropped  anchor  in  the  harbor.  As  we 
passed  Moro  Castle,  soon  after  sunrise  (having  made  the  port 
during  the  night ;  but  a  rule  that  is  seldom  violated  prevented  us 
from  entering  until  daylight),  and  returned  the  hoarse  hail  of  the 
officer  of  the  Castle,  my  wife  contrasted  the  time  when  I  entered 
the  harbor  a  prisoner,  almost,  and  the  time  when  I  left  it  in 
company  with  the  frigate  Growler  as  a  convoy. 

In  a  few  minutes  after  we  had  dropped  anchor,  the  ship  was 
boarded  by  the  captain  of  the  port,  and  I  recognized  in  him  my 
old  friend,  who  had  stood  by  me  so  firmly  when  I  was  committed 
to  Moro  Castle.  Glad  enough  he  was  to  see  me,  and  insisted 
that  I  should  land  in  his  barge  with  all  my  goods  and  effects. 

"  I  have  been  expecting  you  for  some  time,"  the  captain  said. 
"  The  captain  general  informed  me  that  the  past  was  forgotten, 
and  that,  if  you  and  your  family  arrived,  I  was  to  pass  all  your 
baggage  through  the  custom-house  without  an  examination.  That 
shows  Concha  has  no  ill  will,  for  it  is  not  every  one  he  would 
show  so  much  honor  to." 

u  Is  Don  Ingracia  in  the  city  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  No  ;  he  is  at  his  country  seat,  but  he  has  his  house  in  the  city 


HAVANA   AGAIN.  403 

all  prepared  for  you,  and  he  told  me  to  tell  you  to  take  possession 
immediately,  and  await  his  return.  But,  by  the  saints  !  there  is 
another  ship  signalized,  and  if  you  will  collect  your  trunks,  I  will 
land  you  at  the  custom-house  before  I  board  her.  I  don't  have  a 
moment's  peace." 

"  Let  me  hope  that  you  will  find  time  to  dine  with  me  to-mor- 
row," I  said. 

The  captain  smiled,  and  nodded  his  head  in  token  of  assent, 
from  which  fact  I  judged  that  he  was  not  so  much  pressed  as  he 
appeared  to  be. 

I  obtained  a  couple  of  volantes,  and  drove  to  the  residence  of 
Don  Ingracia,  leaving  my  baggage  to  follow  in  the  charge  of  a 
man  whom  the  captain  of  the  port  selected  for  the  job.  We  found 
the  house  ready  to  receive  us,  and  servants  enough  to  attend  to  all 
our  wants.  As  soon  as  Gracia  was  safely  installed  in  the  room 
which  had  been  fitted  up  expressly  for  us,  like  a  true  woman  she 
had  recourse  to  tears,  the  second  she  had  shed  since  her  marriage. 
But  they  were  tears  of  happiness,  and  I  let  her  weep  without  re- 
mark, for  I  knew  that  they  would  relieve  her  heart  of  a  weight 
which  had  long  pressed  upon  it. 

That  afternoon  I  sent  off  a  messenger  to  the  Don  to  acquaint  him 
of  our  arrival,  and  as  soon  as  he  heard  of  it,  he  hastened  to  wel- 
come us  home.  His  meeting  with  me  was  cordial  —  much  more 
so  than  I  anticipated ;  but  all  his  love  was  lavished  on  Gracia  and 
our  child.  He  shed  many  tears  over  both,  and  was  content  to  sit 
for  hours,  and  hold  the  infant  in  his  arms  while  it  slept.  In  his 
eyes  it  was  the  finest  child  that  he  had  ever  seen,  and  he  insisted 
upon  adding  his  name  to  its  already  formidable  one  ;  and  as  I 
made  no  objection,  the  Don  was  still  more  kindly  disposed,  and 
went  to  an  expense  of  some  five  hundred  dollars  for  gold  forks, 
spoons,  and  trinkets. 

On  the  first  evening  of  our  meeting,  the  Don  and  myself  had 
a  long  and  interesting  interview.  He  candidly  confessed  I  had 
the  best  right  to  his  child ;  but  that  ambition  had  blinded  him 
to  my  merits,  and  that,  more,  he  was  really  rejoiced  he  could 
call  me  son-in-law.  He  offered  me  a  choice  of  residences,  in 
town,  or  country,  or  both  ;  but  he  wanted  the  privilege  of  living 
with  us,  so  that  he  could  see  his  grandson  daily.  I  stated  to  him 
my  resources,  and  astonished  him  to  think  that  I  was  compara- 
tively a  wealthy  man,  and  needed  no  pecuniary  assistance..  He 


404  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

then  made  another  proposition,  which  I  accepted.  I  was  to  at- 
tend to  all  his  business,  and  receive  one  third  of  the  profits.  He 
said  that  he  was  growing  old,  .and  was  in  need  of  rest. 

A  few  days  afterwards  we  removed  to  the  Don's  plantation,  and 
I  commenced  business  in  earnest.  I  effected  serious  reforms,  and 
by  good  management  was  enabled  to  nearly  double  his  crop  of 
sugar ;  and  yet  the  expenses  were  curtailed,  instead  of  being  in- 
creased. I  purchased  an  American  mill  to  grind  the  cane,  and 
an  American  steam  engine  to  drive  it,  and  then  employed  an 
American  engineer  from  South  Boston  to  look  after  the  ma- 
chinery. Old  Spaniards,  who  had  used  mule  power  and  rough 
mills  all  their  lives,  said  that  I  was  mad ;  but  the  Don  had  con- 
fidence in  me,  and  let  me  do  as  I  pleased,  and  the  results  proved 
me  correct ;  and  then  others  followed  my  example,  and  asked  my 
advice  upon  matters,  which  they  had  scorned  to  do  before.  In  six 
months  I  ha.d  the  best  gang  of  slaves  in  the  country,  and  never 
lost  one  by  running  away.  They  were  well  treated,  and  en- 
couraged to  perform  their  allotted  tasks  cheerfully,  so  that  when 
they  had  finished  them  they  could  work  on  their  own  account,  and 
save  money  enough  to  purchase  their  freedom. 

For  five  years  I  thus  lived,  and  was  happy.  Not  a  cloud  dark- 
ened my  prospects.  My  wife  was  all  that  I  could  wish,  and  my 
child  grew  up  a  bright,  lively  boy,  but  was  spoiled  by  his  grand- 
father. My  fortune  increased  until  over  a  million  of  dollars  re- 
warded me  for  my  labor ;  but  yet,  just  as  I  was  in  the  full  enjoy- 
ment of  fortune's  favors,  the  saddest  blow  I  had  ever  experienced 
fell  upon  me,  and  for  a  time  crushed  me  to  the  earth.  My  wife 
was  taken  from  me  so  suddenly  that  for  a  time  it  was  feared  by 
my  friends  I  should  follow  her.  For  weeks  I  was  inconsolable, 
and  spurned  all  consolation  and  rest ;  but  one  day  Don  Ingracia 
placed  my  child  in  my  arms,  and  bade  me  live  for  its  sake  ;  and  I 
resolved  to. 

Gracia  died  in  my  arms,  and  with  her  last  breath  blessed  me. 
Four  years  have  passed,  and  still  tears  will  water  my  eyes  when  I 
recall  to  mind  the  happiness  which  we  enjoyed,  and  might  have 
enjoyed  had  she  lived.  I  feel  very  lonely,  and  have  travelled 
much  during  the  last  three  years ;  but  find  no  real  content  of 
mind.  Cuba,  from  its  associations,  I  cannot  endure  at  present, 
for  every  scene  recalls  to  mind  my  lost  wife.  My  child  is  still 
there  with  its  grandfather.  The  old  gentleman  needs  him  more 


THE   END.  405 

than  I  do,  dearly  as  I  love  the  boy.  The  Don  is  growing  old,  and 
cannot  allow  the  child  out  of  his  sight.  He  has  made  his  will, 
and  two  thirds  of  his  property  will  fall  to  the  boy,  and  one  mil- 
lion is  put  down  for  me ;  yet  I  feel  that  I  have  money  enough, 
much  more  than  I  shall  ever  spend,  and  I  think  sometimes  as 
though  I  would  devote  to  charity  what  I  do  not  really  need  ;  but 
I  hope  that  there  will  be  time  enough  to  think  of  that  by  and  by. 

POSTSCRIPT. 

Since  .1  wrote  the  above  account  of  my  adventures,  a  great 
change  has  taken  place  in  my  prospects. 

In  my  first  chapter  I  gave  an  account  of  the  saving  of  a  young 
lady  who  had  broken  through  the  ice  while  skating  on  a  small 
lake  in  the  vicinity  of  Boston,  on  the  banks  of  which  I  have 
resided  for  two  years.  .  I  am  comparatively  a  stranger  in  the 
town,  for  I  have  mingled  but  little  in  society  since  the  death  of 
my  wife  ;  yet  the  sight  of  Alice  Merton's  face  made  me  think  that 
there  might  be  happiness  in  store,  if  I  could  induce  her  to  love 
me,  and  accept  me  as  a  husband.  After  I  saved  her  life,  she  was 
grateful,  but  reserved,  for  she  knew  nothing  of  my  history ;  and 
although  she  never  hinted  that  she  desired  to  learn  it,  I  felt  that 
such  was  the  case.  I  confessed  everything.  My  sins  and  my 
virtues  were  set  forth  freely  and  impartially,  and  tremblingly  I 
awaited  her  verdict.  The  consent  of  Alice's  parents  was  easily 
obtained,  for  they  knew  that  I  had  wealth,  and  cared  but  little 
how  I  accumulated  it ;  but  Alice  was  too  noble  and  virtuous  to 
throw  herself  into  the  arms  of  a  stranger  for  gold,  and  I  awaited 
her  reply  to  my  offer  with  some  anxiety,  and  but  little  grounds 
for  hope.  A  few  days  since  I  received  a  note  from  Alice,  which 
read  as  follows  :  — 

"  You  have  sinned  deeply,  but  say  that  youthave  repented  sin- 
cerely. I  believe  you,  and  if  I  did  not  I  should  not  write  this 
note.  You  say  that  I  alone  can  make  you  happy.  I  am  young 
and  inexperienced,  and  fear  that  I  am  not  qualified  to  effect  such 
a  result ;  yet  I  will  reply  to  your  offer  in  the  same  spirit  of  frank- 
ness in  which  it  is  made".  You  saved  my  life  at  the  risk  of  your 
own,  and  on  that  account  I  owe  you  a  deep  debt  of  gratitude, 
which  perhaps  is  tinged  with  love.  At  any  rate,  if  it  was  not  I 
should  never  bid  you  hope.  Your  charities  I  am  well  acquainted 


406  A  SLAVER'S  ADVENTURES. 

with,  much  as  you  attempt  to  disguise  them.  There  is  but  one 
thing  wanted  to  render  you  equal  to  the  best  of  men  —  religion. 
Seek  that,  and  then  seek  me  with  hope." 

That  note  gave  me  confidence  in  myself  and  in  the  world.  A 
load  was  removed  from  my  heart,  and  the  advice  which  was  given 
so  kindly  I  followed.  I  did  seek  religion  until.  I  found  it,  and 
then  Alice  placed  her  hand  in  mine,  and  we  are  to  be  married. 
How  slowly  the  time  passes  !  and  even  the  confusion  of  refurnish- 
ing my  house  cannot  make  it  speed  quick  enough.  After  my  wed- 
ding my  adventures  will  indeed  be  ended,  and  I  hope  that  our  days 
will  pass  without  a  cloud ;  and  Alice  says  amen,  and  insists  that 
I  must  skate  with  her  this  afternoon.  I  consent,  but  will  first 
examine  the  ice. 


